WILLMAR
— The
Willmar City Council
on July 17 approved the rezoning of land owned by Bethesda from agricultural to limited business to accommodate the planned future construction of independent senior living apartments.
The land on the northeast corner of the intersection of Willmar Avenue and 12th Street Southeast is located east of the current
Bethesda
complex where the nonprofit provider offers services ranging from skilled nursing to adult day services to short-term therapy.
This is the first step needed for the construction of up to 250 senior housing units. The
Willmar Planning Commission
will have to approve a preliminary and final plat, as well as a conditional use permit or planned unit development before construction can begin.
The construction will happen in two phases, with the first phase being the construction of 120 to 160 housing units in a three- or four-story building. The second phase will be an addition of up to 90 units, according to Willmar Planning and Development Director Justice Walker.
Contributed / City of Willmar
It is hoped that construction of the first phase can begin some time this fall, but Walker noted that projects of this magnitude take some time to get through the planning and approval process.
Contributed / Bethesda
“This is just a preliminary concept of what we would like to put on this property to address the needs of senior housing and expand what we currently have on our Willmar campus,” said Bethesda Chief Executive Officer Michelle Haefner at a June 7 Planning Commission meeting.
Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission Executive Director Aaron Backman also offered his thoughts during the meeting.
Contributed / Willmar Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
“The No. 1 need for housing — and we’re showing a need for 1,580 housing units in Willmar — the No. 1 category of that, senior housing — over 600 units that we need,” Backman said. “This doesn’t solve everything, but it’s a great step forward. It gives people more options if they are trying to downsize or what have you. We want to give people options for housing so that we can keep them in the community — they don’t have to move away somewhere else.”
