The O’Malley Apartments, a senior low-income apartment complex at 707 E. Mission, is in the midst of a $3.9 million renovation, which is expected to be completed in the fall.

Jonathan Mallahan, vice president of housing for Catholic Charities Spokane, says the building, constructed in 1977, includes three floors of living space with 33 units on each, as well as a fourth level that accommodates common areas, a chapel, and a deck.

Catholic Charities is the managing partner of New O’Malley LLC, the company that owns and manages the four-story, 72,000-square-foot building.

Mallahan says the renovation project primarily will be a remodel of the building’s 99 residential units but also will include some exterior aesthetic improvements and a new roof.

Architecture All Forms Corp., of Spokane, designed the renovations, and Inland Construction & Development Co., also of Spokane, is the contractor on the project.

“We’ve been working on renovations one floor at a time to limit the time our residents are displaced,” Mallahan says. 

He adds, “During renovations, we’ve arranged for residents to stay at the Ruby River Inn and given them meal tickets for nearby Gonzaga University, where they’re able to go for lunch and dinner every day.”

Mallahan says Catholic Charities is refinancing the O’Malley through a low-income housing tax credit program, which provides incentives for private investors to make equity investments in affordable rental housing projects.

“The renovations started in November, and should be wrapping up this coming fall,” he says. 

Mallahan says the purpose of the renovation is to modernize the multifamily property, which serves primarily seniors and those with qualifying disabilities.

“We wanted to reinvest in the building to ensure it continues to provide high-quality housing for years to come,” Mallahan says. “We want this to be the kind of place we’d like our own parents to live in.”