Developer plans apartments for downtown Burlington

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) - A Keokuk attorney and developer will receive $3 million in federal grants to convert 48 rooms of existing buildings into upperstory apartments in downtown Burlington.

Kevin Kuckelman expects to close on the purchase of the Tama and Eastman buildings in late February, the Burlington Hawk Eye reported (http://bit.ly/1A38Bkg ). A 2010 fire damaged both buildings, and they have sat mostly vacant since then.

Kuckelman's project will include one and twobedroom apartments on three upper floors of the Eastman Building and four upper floors of the Tama Building. The first-floor spaces could house commercial tenants, he said.

"We want to complement what's already going on downtown," he said.

One apartment will be powered by solar panels on the roof. The netzero unit will be used as a demonstration unit for energy savings.

Kuckelman said the design includes a rooftop garden on the Eastman building that the Tama building will also be able to access, since both buildings will have elevator service to the rooftop.

The plans include creating a courtyard on the back side of the buildings, plus razing a smaller building along the back alley.

Kuckelman hopes to have an environmental study, financing and legal work completed by May, when he plans to start construction.

Kuckelman said he believes construction can be completed within a year. He expects to work with the city to address the parking challenges 48 new apartments could create along Jefferson and Third streets.

"It's going to increase the number of rental units by a third," said Steve Frevert, executive director of Downtown Partners Inc.

Frevert said Kuckelman's plan will be the biggest residential project in downtown since The Burlington Apartments were remodeled in 1998.

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Information from: The Hawk Eye, http://www.thehawkeye.com