The south stadium project in Downtown Fresno is one step closer at becoming a reality after the Fresno city council gave the green light to help fund the multi-million dollar project.

The parking lot located on Fulton and Inyo Street in Downtown Fresno is expected to be transformed into a multi-use building with businesses and housing units.

“There’s a momentum in downtown. There’s interest in downtown. There’s transportation. There’s jobs being created. There’s an excitement and vibrancy so I think the time to jump in is perfect,” Managing Developer Mehmet Noyan said.

On Thursday, Noyan asked the council to contribute more than $600,000 part of the deal is to include affordable housing to the 54 units.

Council member Garry Bredefeld was the only one to vote no to the request.

He said developers should come up with the rest of the funds.

“I don’t think it was an appropriate use of money. If you mis-calculate. You pay the cost. Don’t come back with your hand out to the taxpayers. Bredefeld said. Unfortunately too often in this building we’re too quick to hand out money for projects, where people change their mind or they mis-calculate and it’s always the taxpayer who pays the bill.”

District 5 Council member Luis Chavez said he voted for the measure because the city is experiencing a housing crisis.

He said with Tioga and Chukchansi Park in the area, this development would attract people to the area.

Noyan told the city council he expects to break ground April 2020.