Through collaborative efforts over many months, The Affordable Housing Corporation, Carey Services, and other local partners will officially break ground on the new Pleasant Square affordable and accessible housing development at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6, 2018.

Pleasant Square will add 10 new affordable community housing units (arranged in five duplexes) north of the existing Pleasant Woods complex that opened in 2013 on South Carey Street. Pleasant Square will be built similar to Pleasant Woods Apartments, and it will feature updated floor plans and amenities based on input from those involved in the Pleasant Woods project and other development team members including Halstead Architects, Randal Miller & Associates, Pleasant Woods Resident Council and Mutual Bank. Both complexes are across the street from Carey Services’ main Marion offices and service sites at 2724 S. Carey St.

“We’re excited to see this project reach this stage and be able to celebrate this significant milestone,” said Jim Allbaugh, Carey Services president and chief executive officer. “It has truly been a cooperative effort between many organizations to get to this point as we continue to make this dream become a reality.” Construction is expected to begin days after the groundbreaking; completion is anticipated in November.

The cooperative project has received more than $1 million in funding from Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority and Federal Home Loan Bank of Indiana. The Pleasant Square apartments will be offered to low-income individuals who might or might not have a disability; apartments will be available to low-income families or individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability and/or other disabilities as applications are received. The Grant County area has an acute shortage of safe, decent, affordable, accessible independent living options for people with disabilities.

“Pleasant Square is affordable housing designed for adults with disabilities,” said Jacquie Dodyk, executive director of Affordable Housing Corporation. “The wait list for such housing is the driving force behind our community partnership to meet this demand.”