In 1960, the Williamson County Housing Authority got approval for a number of low-rent housing projects throughout the county. Two of these projects, located on Morgan Avenue and in Gent’s addition, were started in Marion before the end of the year.
Marion Housing Unit Plans Are Approved
Final plans and specifications for Marion’s new 80 unit housing development were accepted Tuesday night by the Williamson County Housing Authority.
Plans will be sent on to the Public Housing Authority Administration regional office in Chicago for final approval.
Next step is to put the more than $800,000 project up for bids, after state regulatory agencies, public utilities and the city forward their approval.
The Authority is aiming at a late May date for opening construction bids on the Marion, Carterville, and Hurst projects. Carterville is to get 25 low-rent housing units and 10 units for elderly persons. The Hurst project is 12 low-rent units. Carterville and Hurst will be bid as a joint project.
The Marion development will be in two areas. The larger one of 64 units, will be west of South Court Street in the 1200 block. It will be laid out generally east and west.
The smaller development in Gent’s Addition will be bounded by Boyton, Rice, Liberty and Monroe Streets. The Authority purchased the area for $14,050 in county court condemnation proceedings.
A 1,000 square foot recreational center will be constructed at the larger of the two Marion developments. Annexed to it will be general offices and a garage for the Authority.
The 1,000 sq. foot included space for kitchen and restroom facilities. The Authority main office will remain at the 100 unit Herrin development already completed.
Asphalt streets, with concrete curbs and gutters, will wind through the larger project. The one in Gent’s Addition is small enough to use existing streets.
Project buildings will be of one story, brick faced construction.
Representatives of the architects, Lee Potter Smith and Associates of Paducah, told members future expansion would probably be to the north or west of the larger project. Low ground to the south would make building too difficult.
Members learned Tuesday night that approval is expected, but has not been officially received, from the City of Hurst, state agencies and utilities. Only Carterville has sent the necessary letter stating the plans are acceptable.
The bidding date will be delayed until the approval is in hand Commissioner Edward Finnegan of Marion pointed out that construction costs will rise if the bid date is later in the year.
The Williamson County Housing Authority is pressing plans for housing for elderly persons in Herrin, Johnston City and Marion.
Members are selecting alternate sites, even before the Public Housing Administration has given official approval. Plans are for 40 units in Herrin, 20 in Marion, and 12 units for elderly persons and 12 regular low-rent units in Johnston City.
Architect’s representatives Tuesday night presented rough sketches of the possible building lay-out on various sites under consideration. The sites have not been optioned and prices have not been discussed, Executive Director Julius Steinmarch said.
Sites for elderly housing are to be located near downtown areas to ease transportation difficulties. Sites considered for Herrin are of 1 and 2.25 acres; Marion, both about .66 acres and Johnston City, 1 and 2.5 acres.
Under new housing regulations, Johnston City and Herrin must begin a workable program before federal construction funds are authorized.
Marion has already embarked on its workable program, which was not required when previous projects were built at Herrin and Johnston City.
(Southern Illinoisan, April 20, 1960, Page 3)
Marion Housing Work to Start
Pouring of concrete footings for the Marion low-rent housing project is expected to begin the middle of next week, according to Herman Bearden of the Bearden Construction Co.
The footings will be for the South Court Street Project (Morgan Avenue.). Eighty units will be built in the 1200 block. A recreation center will be constructed at the site.
Buildings in Gent’s Addition have been torn down and preliminary grading is under way.
The buildings in both projects will be one-story single and duplex brick structures.
Subcontractors for the $825,000 project are Frick Plumbing and Heating, Marion, interior plumbing; Midwest Landscaping Service, Marion, sewers, water and gas lines; Stanley Rix and Sons, Marion, heating, air and sheet metal work; Hepp Brothers, Cutler, rough grading; and Sanders Brothers, finished grading and landscaping.
(Southern Illinoisan, August 25, 1960, Page 2)