The Spokane Housing Authority plans to replace the 41-unit, two-story Hifumi En Apartments with a new, 88-unit complex for elderly and disabled seniors, says Paul Trautman, development director for the Spokane Housing Authority. 

The total cost will be about $30 million, including $23 million in construction costs, for the project to be located at 926 E. Eighth, two blocks west of Grant Park in the South Perry District, says Trautman. The remaining $7 million includes soft costs such as design and finance expenses, he says. 

Walker Construction Inc., of Spokane, likely will be awarded the project when funding is finalized, he says. Brendan Monroe, project manager for Walker Construction, has been working with the Spokane Housing Authority on the pre-construction portion of the project, Trautman adds.

Chris Weiland, of Spokane-based Architecture All Forms Corp., is designing the project, and Clifton Trimble, of Spokane-based Storhaug Engineering Inc., is providing engineering services, says Trautman.

The affordable housing project has five funding sources: the city of Spokane, Spokane County, Washington state Department of Commerce, the Spokane Housing Authority, and CREA LLC, an Indianapolis-based affordable housing investment company. 

Construction is expected to start in late March, and the project will be built in two phases to avoid displacing current residents, says Trautman.

The project has gone through the city's pre-development process. It's currently under environmental review, which is a required step for a project of its scope before building permit applications can be considered.

The project will include two three-story apartment buildings and a single-story community building with offices for staff and resources for Hifumi En residents. The first new building will consist of 47 dwelling units. Once complete, the residents in the existing building will move to the new building, and the original Hifumi En Apartments will be demolished and replaced with a new 41-unit building. 

The Spokane Housing Authority owns two parcels east of the Hifumi En Apartments, which will undergo a boundary line adjustment that will allow for the expansion of the community, says Trautman. With the boundary line adjustment, the community's total property will encompass nearly 3-acres of land. 

The Hifumi En Apartments were built in 1972 by the Hifumi En society as housing for elderly Japanese residents, says Trautman. The Spokane Housing Authority purchased the apartments in 1992 and has updated them twice. However, it has been difficult to update the 50-year-budling to meet current standards, some of which require wider hallways and a larger elevator, for example, says Trautman.