A multifaceted real estate management and property development firm founded in 1923, The Yarco Cos. cares about providing its tenants with respectable, affordable housing. And for St. Michael’s Veterans Center, Phase II, the goal was to offer distinguished, much-needed permanent housing for veterans.
Within the Kansas City area alone, there are 1,800 vets in need of such quarters and supportive services. Phase I of St. Michael’s featured 58 units in a 4-acre, campus-style setting. All were quickly leased.
Phase II consists of a three-level building with 59 one- and two-bedroom apartment units with accessible designs, and amenities in an attached, 7,000-square-foot structure that provides myriad services, including good medical care, classes in writing resumes and interviewing for jobs, and GED classes, as well as legal aid and personal grooming. Also offered are a fitness room, a movie theater, a coffee bar, a bicycle room, a courtyard, and community gardens.
The supportive services aren’t just for residents but for all area vets. And because sustainability was a goal, the building was constructed with local materials such. as drywall, cabinetry, carpeting, and brick and stone, and incorporates a high-efficiency HVAC system.
A connection between the vets, staff, and community was important, and many area businesses and individuals donated products—such as furniture and toiletries—residents might be unable to afford on their own.
A third phase of 58 to 59 units, if approved, will begin by fall 2018.
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