The same Wisconsin-based private real estate company that has been working to open Berkshire Niles, a senior work force housing complex at Third and Broadway streets, has proposed two more potential projects to members of the Niles City Council.

During a commission of the whole meeting Monday night, General Capital associates showed their plans to renovate the Post Office, 322 E. Main St., into millennial-targeted work force housing and to purchase and make repairs to the Four Flags Plaza, 17 N. Seventh St., to be used as work force senior housing.

If the city council approves the projects, the new buildings could change the landscape of downtown Niles.

General Capital company vice president Josh Hafron and associate Sig Strautmanis showed members of the Niles City Council a Power Point presentation illustrating this point.

Plans for the post office would include a more than 70-unit apartment building, which would be achieved by adding a building on the south side of the property that would be connected with the post office. The apartments would be marketed toward millennials and could include things like a café, Wi-Fi services, as well as trendy aesthetics, such as various modern art and furniture.

The apartments would be considered section 42 work force housing. There would be minimum income guidelines for those interested in living there.

Back in May, an undisclosed company made an offer to buy the Post Office for $650,000. The company said they aimed to turn the building into a medical marijuana dispensary. Council members expressed some skepticism about the message that a marijuana business in the prominent downtown could send to visitors.

Early in the year, the state had also proposed plans to lease the building, but later rescinded their consideration.

“We were recently made aware of the Post Office building and [we] understand the sensitivity about potential uses,” Strautmanis said. “We wanted to show you an alternative that would be a positive contribution to the downtown and that would be a different type of housing development.”

On Monday night, some city council members thought the plan offered them more choice in utilizing the historic downtown building.

“I really appreciate your enthusiasm for the project,” said councilman John DiCostanzo. “You are making our decisions difficult and giving us choices. I like the idea.”

Though, he said, council members would still have financial aspects to be considered. The company did not go into much detail on those arrangements Monday.

General Capital hopes to have property control by this fall. They will then apply for tax credits from the Michigan State Housing and Development Authority. The tax credits are part of a federal program that promotes affordable housing. If all goes as planned, Strautmanis said they could open the building to the community by 2020.

As for the Four Flags Plaza, Hafron said General Capital is currently under contract to purchase the 88-unit apartment building from the Four Flags Chamber of Commerce. The company would renovate the building, while keeping the rental subsidy status, meaning occupants would pay 30 percent of their income toward rent and Housing and Urban Development would make up the difference between their contribution and the rental rate.

Hafron said they hope to renovate the building, which currently has several issues, including some water penetration sheathing on the outside of the building and plumbing system issues. Aesthetics are also an issue, according to Hafron.

“It has a very dark and closed in feeling when you go in,” Hafron said. “Our idea is to open up the lobby as well as a community room to make it lighter and more inviting.”

In addition, the floor would receive new carpeting and the apartments would receive new kitchens, baths, flooring and paint.

Hafron said they intend to also apply for MSHDA credits to finance the project.

“We think we will have a very competitive application,” Hafron said. “This project has a very good location in that it has a high walk score, it is in the downtown area and is on a bus line. We would not be attempting this unless we had a high degree of certainty that we would get the credits.”

If given the green light by the city, General Capital would submit its application to MSHDA in October and find out in January whether the credits were received. Rehabilitation of the building could start in June of 2018 or the following year.

Hafron said they would need site plan approval and zoning letter from city council. They would also seek a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) from the city and a letter of support emphasizing how the project could benefit the economy of Niles.

“We are excited to have potentially two senior projects in Niles,” Hafron said. “We think they would feed off of each other nicely and they are distinct from one another.”

Hafron said the business is “on the path” to closing the deal for Berkshire Niles and hope to start construction after November of this year. Construction is anticipated to take a year.