A plan to build an affordable seniors apartment in downtown Kamloops has been given a green light.

City council voted today to authorize a housing agreement for social housing and to grant a development permit to Kaktus Flats to build the project.

Director of development services Marvin Kwiatkowski says the six-storey apartment will have 112 units.

“It’s a fairly attractive project,” he says. “From a point of view of looking at what it adds to the street, I think it adds a fair bit of street appeal.”

“As part of the project, they [Kaktus Flats] will also be upgrading the sidewalks and the bulb out at the intersection of Victoria and 6th.”

Kwiatkowski says the housing project will also help fill a need in the Tournament Capital.

“Looking at the full gamut of housing options, we’ve heard, ‘Oh, is there anything going in for seniors?'”

“You know there’s a lot of other types of housing projects, but it’s nice to see one that is specifically to seniors and the 112 units is a significant number to add to the housing pool.”

The project by Kaktus Flats Developments will have housing on floors two through five, with commercial space on the bottom floor.

Construction likely won’t begin until sometime next year.