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Delaware’s city council gave unanimous rezoning and plan approval to the second and third phases of Delaware Place, which will provide affordable housing to elderly residents.

Their phase one has been successful, said Planning and Community Development Director David Efland. Phase one involved a four-story building and surrounding duplexes, with 63 units total.

Phases two and three will introduce 44 units in a three-story building, and a two-story building with a mix of 11 units and commercial space.

“These are personally exciting to me, being that I worked on Delaware Place for quite some time, as has Joe DiGenova and many of the rest of you.

“I’ve done a good amount of research here, it’s a great opportunity to provide some much needed affordable senior housing in the community,” said applicant Denise Blake, Midwest regional developer with the Miller-Valentine Group.

Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle said she’d toured the site with Councilman Joe DiGenova and State Rep. Andrew Brenner (R-Powell) and that the new areas were almost full even though construction hasn’t begun.

To start phases two and three, the planners will have to receive approval from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency. Blake said their application deadline is February 20, and they’ll receive a response by June 17 at the latest.

She expects a groundbreaking in the first quarter of 2016, once the weather is good enough.

Council also approved rezoning for Shear Style Barber Shop and Union Electric, and a final development plan for Engineering Materials Systems.

In Council comments, Second Ward Councilman Lisa Keller discussed increasing community outreach through social media, which Mayor Riggle supported.

Efland and City Manager Tom Homan also discussed physical branding efforts for the city, including new signs and business cards, which were planned with the help of Community Affairs Coordinator Lee Yoakum.

In closing, Mayor Riggle reminded the audience that February is Black History Month, and that there will be a Valentine’s Day marriage/renewal of vows ceremony.