Mar. 14—Two housing developments — a 216-unit apartment complex and a 14-unit townhome development — meant to tackle the city of Kokomo’s housing shortage received needed approvals this week.

Both proposed developments received unanimous approval for their submitted development plans from the Kokomo Plan Commission on Tuesday. The approvals pave the way for construction of the projects to begin.

Harmony Townhomes

More than a dozen new townhomes will soon grace the eastern side of North Cooper Street on the city’s north end.

Developer Faris Center LLC is building 14 two-story townhomes along North Cooper Street near the Radiant Life Ministries church.

The market rate rental townhomes are all four-bedroom, three-bath and will face Cooper Streets. Each unit comes with its own garage on the rear side, accessible by a to-be-built alleyway off of East Gano and East Barkdol streets.

The housing development is being pitched as housing for the workforce of the StarPlus Energy electric vehicle battery plants. Its developer, Rocky Singh of Carmel and Faris Center LLC, purchased the 22-acre property just east of Indiana 931 and north of East Morgan Street last year.

The townhomes are expected to be the first of several phases of development for the 22-acre property that could see more residential, recreational and commercial development in the future.

Pleasant Brook Apartments

A week after receiving special exception approval, Affordable Market Rate LLC now has development plan approval for its proposed apartment complex on some 20 acres off Brooke Road and immediately north of Walnut Creek Apartments.

As previously reported by the Tribune, the apartment complex includes 108 551-square-feet one-bedroom apartments and 108 751-square-feet two-bedroom apartment units across 10 total buildings.

Amenities would include a pool, dog park, tennis/pickleball courts, amenity center, professional management and 24/7 security.

Rents would hover around $1,000 a month. The development would be a $50 million investment.

The developer has agreed to add an auxiliary lane along Brooke Road to deal with the uptick in traffic the development will have on the area, as well as beefed up with the property’s stormwater detention.

Tyler Juranovich can be reached at 765-454-8577, by email at tyler.juranovich@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @tylerjuranovich.