City votes to swap Nakoosa Trail land for Army property with Porchlight

The city has reached a tentative deal with Porchlight Inc. for a homeless shelter on the far east side near Wal-Mart, a move that allows redevelopment of surplus U.S. Army property on Park Street to continue as planned. If approved by the Common Council, the city would donate the land to Porchlight in exchange for the provider giving up plans to use a portion of the Truman Olson Army Reserve Center at 1402 S. Park St. for a two-building homeless center. Porchlight would get vacant land on Nakoosa Trail already owned by the city. It would develop two new buildings: a 14-room single room boarding house for mentally disabled people just off the street and a 24-unit efficiency apartment building for long-term residents. The site also has room for another 16-unit building. "We think it's a site that will work for everybody and... [read full story]