By Brandon Peoples brandon@1350kman.com – May 20, 2025
City commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance establishing a new reinvestment housing incentive district (RHID) in a northwest Manhattan neighborhood.
The LK Townhomes project, led by Frontier Development, will build 26 duplex units on a stretch of Little Kitten Avenue, representing an approximately $9 million investment. It’s the first of three infill housing development projects the company is planning in the city, totaling $15 million.
“I’m happy to see these now coming around,” said commissioner John Matta. “We’ve been working on this for a number of years, all these housing initiatives, and it’s nice to see it all come together.”
Commissioner Jayme Minton agreed.
“This is a great tool, and I’m excited you guys are using it,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to this project.”
Frontier is seeking just under $2 million in incentives from the city over a 15-year period as part of the RHID agreement, similar to how a business would utilize tax increment financing for a commercial project. Commissioner Susan Adamchak said the project is a major milestone in the city addressing its housing concerns.
“I’m optimistic that we’ve gotten through these six steps and that hopefully the seventh will be right along behind us very soon,” she said. “I’m excited that we’re seeing this project come to fruition.”
Following Tuesday’s public hearing, a 30-day veto period is now underway, as both USD 383 and the Riley County Commission will have the final say in whether the project can ultimately move forward. The school district has already expressed support, while Riley County has expressed some concerns about whether the taxing entities will get an adequate return on investment for taking potential tax revenue offline for such a long period of time.
Commissioner Peter Oppelt said he hopes the county will support the city’s plan.
“They do have to take positive action to veto it,” he said. “They have the option to put it on their agenda and veto it. I hope that they don’t, and I hope that we can continue to work together.”
Mayor Karen McCulloh said she too hopes the city and county can work together.
“We understand where they’re coming from, but we hope that they will honor our agreement to do workforce housing,” she said.
McCulloh also stated she’d like to see city staff explore other avenues to encourage people to move to Manhattan and spur other housing developments
The LK project has received strong community support, including endorsements from Kansas State University, the Manhattan-Ogden School District and local employers.
According to the RHID agreement, Frontier will have four years to complete the entire project, or risk losing potential reimbursements for construction expenses.
Source: https://themercury.com/news/city-commission-advances-ordinance-to-establish-incentive-district-for-workforce-housing/article_c1c0f82b-c63b-46ab-8394-30e18498c471.html
