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Tim Mauro’s South View Senior Apartments project has been in the works for more than two years, and finally, the nearly $6 million facility has reached its last stages of construction.

The 34,000-square-foot complex, which was approved for low-income-housing tax credits, will provide housing for seniors aged 55 and older who make less than $33,000 annually. The apartment-style living facility, which is located on the southeast side of Des Moines, will have a total of 40 units: 36 one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units. The first floor will feature a recreation center, which will have a full kitchen and a gathering space, Mauro said. Also, each floor will have a small library and a computer center that residents can share.

Initially, the plans were to build the complex at 1720 S.W. First St., but Mauro said he had to change the site in August 2007 to 1900 S.E. Sixth St. because of ground contamination.

“It’s been a long process,” he said. “We really had issues with the timing of things. Because of the delay, we couldn’t get into a partnership agreement with a tax syndicator, so (the tax credit equity) went from 90 cents per dollar to 85 cents per dollar – it was a $230,000 reduction in equity, so we had to scramble around and make some changes, put some more work into it, and sharpen the pencil a little bit.”

However, Mauro said that once he secured a tax syndicator and Koester Construction Inc. and Wells + Associates architects joined the project, things started to move quickly.

“Wells has experience with this type of stuff so they were aware of some of the nuances,” Mauro said. “And we wanted something better for that area. We didn’t want to set up a box; it isn’t just a rectangle with a roof on it.”

Mauro said he grew up on the southeast side and wanted to give back to the community.

“I grew up in that area, and my father grew up in that area, and we just have a big loyalty to that area,” Mauro said. “The actual land used to be South Des Moines Little League land, so we’re talking a lot of history. Also, it’s an older community; seniors are there and it’s a little bit lower income over there. It just fit our market.”

Mauro hopes to have at least 20 tenants secured before construction finishes in mid-April, with a move-in date of May 1.