The St. John Fruit Belt Community Development Corporation is proposing a mixed-use building for the northwest corner of High and Locust streets in the Fruit Belt. The community-based development firm is seeking approval to purchase four vacant lots at 226-238 High Street from the City needed to construct the project.

According to documents submitted to the Common Council, the four-story building would include retail/market space including a drive-thru and 22 parking spaces. The upper three floors will include 15 apartments. 33 percent of the apartments will be one bedroom affordable housing units accessible to households with incomes at or below 80 percent of area median income.

The developer has completed both single-family and affordable townhouses on multiple sites throughout the Fruit Belt in recent years. In 2014, St. John Fruit Belt Community Development Corporation proposed SweetPea Market for the site, a 7,000 sq.ft., full-service market with a pharmacy and a café for the property but did not proceed with the development.