Updated with additional details.
CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A special session meeting has been scheduled for the City Council next week to discuss a ground lease agreement for the development of affordable senior housing at the site of Frosty Morn.
The Frosty Morn building, a meat packing factory that was in operation from 1948 to 1977, has sat empty for decades. It’s in downtown Clarksville off of Kraft Street, at Frosty Morn Drive and Red River Street.
The proposal had been to redevelop what remains of the building into a community center with a community kitchen, space for farmer’s market and other amenities. But during the last budget cycle, the Frosty Morn project was removed and defunded. The property was transferred to the Community Neighborhood Services land bank/trust to create privately built and managed, affordable, low-income housing for senior citizens.
A resolution will be presented to the City Council on Monday, April 6, at 4:30 p.m. to look over the new Frosty Morn proposal.
“The redevelopment of the Frosty Morn property presents an opportunity to create approximately 65 units of income-restricted housing for seniors aged 55 and older, helping address the community’s housing gap while repurposing a vacant and underutilized property,” said the resolution.
The proposed development is expected to leverage private and federal investment through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, allowing the city to support the creation of affordable housing without direct capital investment.
Nonprofit would build, maintain housing
The City of Clarksville would enter into a 75-year lease agreement with SOCAYR Inc., a Kentucky-based nonprofit organization with extensive experience developing and managing affordable housing for older adults, according to a city news release. SOCAYR would finance, construct, and manage the housing community.
“The proposed ground lease will be contingent upon the developer receiving an award of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and securing the financing necessary to complete the project.”
In addition to the lease agreement, the project will require Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning approval, which will be considered by the Clarksville Regional Planning Commission before returning to the Clarksville City Council for final consideration.
Supportive services for older residents
The redevelopment plan also incorporates supportive services designed to help older residents maintain independence while living in the community. Planned services include space for Meals on Wheels programming, transportation services, and aging-in-place support services operated by the Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency.
City officials say the project represents an important step in addressing the growing need for housing options for seniors in Clarksville.
“Clarksville continues to experience rapid population growth, and housing costs have increased accordingly,” said Michelle Austin, Director of City of Clarksville Neighborhood and Community Services, in a news release. “Seniors living on fixed incomes are often among the most impacted by rising housing costs. This project helps expand housing options for older residents while redeveloping a long-vacant industrial property.”
If the project receives all required approvals and is awarded tax credit funding, construction timelines would be announced following the state award decisions.
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