Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs, far left, with developers at a ribbon cutting for a 56-unit apartment complex on Oct. 3,

A new apartment complex, aimed at ages 55 and older, is in the planning stages for Cullman.

Under the working project title, Village at Bridge Street, the complex will include two buildings with a total of 56 two-bedroom, two-bathroom units, said Dave Truitt, director real estate for the Community Action Partnership of North Alabama.

“This is similar to Sara Ridge that we built in 2008,” Truitt said. “Those units stay full or have a waiting list. The need for affordable housing is huge all across Alabama.”

The Cullman Planning Commission last week approved the subdivision plan and is expected to take up the site plan in the next month or two.

“Our goal is to break ground in the first quarter of 2019 and open by spring in 2020,” Truitt said.

In addition to the age requirement, residents’ income level will be a factor in securing one of the units. Truitt said residents will have to be at 60 percent or less of the median income of $39,000 in the community.

The project represents a capital investment of $10 million, with $8 million from a tax credit equity through the Alabama Affordable Housing Authority, $100,000 from Community Action Partnership of North Alabama, and the remainder being financed.

Truitt said the apartments will have vinyl flooring, with one bathroom have a bathtub and the other a shower.

“A lot of residents have told us that having at least one bathroom with a shower makes it easier if there are age or health issues,” Truitt said. “We have two buildings on the site, one that is two-story and the other three stories.”

Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs attended a ribbon cutting ceremony at the site on Oct. 3. The location is just off Alabama 157 near Eva Bank on County Road 1402.