New apartments planned for River Prairie

Altoona (WQOW)- Construction in Altoona's River Prairie won't be stopping anytime soon.  The city has sold another piece of the pie, and what's going in could mean a new place for some people to call home.

The city said a new apartment complex being planned could be one of Altoona's biggest developments.  The city has entered in to an exclusive sale with Harbor Bay Real Estate Advisors, a company looking to develop a three building complex with retail space on the first floors, and around 175 apartment units with underground parking.  

The parcel of land is located just east of the site of a new event center, an area that the city plans to exclusively fill with mixed use buildings.

"You're trying to have a mixed-use district where employment, retail options, destinations, amenities, and residential all incorporated in the same building or in very close proximity so that you can take advantage of these complimentary uses.  In River Prairie these are crucial developments to achieve that mission," said Altoona City Planner Joshua Clements.

The city said the plans are still preliminary.  The developers have 120 days to put the designs together to be approved by Altoona City Council.  If those plans get the green light, construction on the apartment complex could start this fall.

As River Prairie continues to develop, the city council is gearing up for a new kind of food option to roll in.  On Thursday the council will be voting on changing the city's policy on food trucks.  Right now the ordinance only allows ice cream and popcorn vendors.  If approved the new policy will regulate health and safety of the vendors, as well as promote a pedestrian-friendly environment.  The city said if it's passed, food trucks could be a key component of the River Prairie design.