TEMPLE — The City of Temple is working to pave the way for a new five-story apartment complex at its busiest intersection.
On Thursday the city approved the first of two readings for an ordinance that would rezone property just on the south edge of the mall for that development. The five story apartment complex will have 140 units, a pool, a plaza, and the driveway opening straight into the mall itself.
The Temple Economic Development Corporation told Channel 6 the city wanted to put living options near the mall as part of a new strategy for the area.
"That's becoming a trend in having residential mixed with retail and restaurants," TEDC Vice President Charley Ayres said. "Create an environment where people can work, eat and play."
According to several apartment complexes nearby, housing is in hot demand near Scott and White Hospital. At the Villas on the Hill Apartments and The Glen nearby, one-bedroom apartments have been wait-listed for several months.
"As soon as we have anybody put one on notice we lease it up immediately," Tarantino Properties Supervisor Debra Hart said. "There are one hundred and forty interns coming in. The medical field is really thriving."
There are multiple new apartment developments coming to the city at this time, but Ayers told Channel 6 Temple would be needing new complexes to keep up with growth.
"In the last five years in Temple, Belton, we're at 119,000 people now," Ayres said. "We've grown by 8,000 folks in the last five years and are projected to grow about 6400 in the next five years. That growth is what spurs development."
The Temple City Council will need to vote once more on the second reading of the ordinance before development can start.