Apartment complexes under construction
GENTRY — Construction is well underway at a new apartment complex being built by Jim Krein and Krein Development, LLC, on property just west of the strip mall which houses La Huerta Restaurant along Arkansas Highway 59 in Gentry.
The city council, on Dec. 5, approved a rezoning request of the land between the restaurant building and the railroad from C2 (commercial) to R3 (residential) to allow Krein Development to construct apartment complexes with 64 units which will be used to house Simmons employees.
According to Jim Krein, Simmons Foods, headquartered in Siloam Springs, is recruiting workers for its plants in Siloam Springs, Decatur and Southwest City (Mo.) and was looking to fill 900 or more positions. Simmons was also focusing its recruiting efforts in Puerto Rico since it is a U.S. territory and residents are U.S. citizens.
The biggest problem Simmons is facing is a housing shortage for the company’s workers.
In a letter recommending the zoning change submitted by Daniel T. Houston, chief human resources officer for Simmons Foods, he said: “With Simmons’ compelling message of growth and our reputation of strong values, safety, and putting our people first, we have little trouble convincing good employees to come to work. Our struggle, which we have faced for the last two years, is a lack of good, affordable housing in this area.”
Houston’s letter continued: “The proposed complex that Jim Krein brings before the [Gentry Planning and Zoning] Commission is critical to Simmons’ continued growth and success. His plan of 64 apartments will house Simmons employees and their families. These families would join other Simmons employees in the Gentry community, adding to our number of strong wage earners that support the local economy. These apartments will house employees that will work in Siloam Springs, Decatur and Southwest City, Mo., for Simmons, and will certainly provide housing for other companies’ growth initiatives in the area.”
The letter goes on to explain that Simmons has agreed to certain occupancy levels at the apartments to guarantee the project’s success for Krein Development. According to Krein, the guarantee is for 90 percent of the housing units at first, with that percentage declining by 5 percent each year thereafter.
Krein said the apartments would be nice apartments which would rent for $625 per month. The target date for completion of the first units was this summer. Other units are expected to follow.