The Hutchinson City Council gave approval of a grant application to the Kansas Department of Commerce that they hope will help develop an area along west 5th Avenue that could eventually be used for affordable apartments from New Beginnings.

The council approved the grant application for 536-thousand dollars to redevelop 1 and a quarter acres in the 200 block of West 5th. The application for the property is an amendment to an earlier proposal in which new Beginnings purchased 4 homes that had been foreclosed upon, and will be rented out by the agency.

The area along West 5th is across the street from the 5th and Adams Dillon’s store and has fallen under disrepair in the last several years.

Preliminary plans are for New Beignnings to construct several duplexes or modular units on the property. The city hopes to have an answer on the proposal in a week to 10-days.