A new apartment complex near downtown Ames is in the works.
The CityLight Apartments include plans for a four-story building with 39 units, along Burnett Avenue near the intersection with Sixth Street, just east of Fareway. The building would be on a site that’s currently used as a parking lot leased by the U.S. Postal Service.
Downtown Ames published a Downtown Guiding Vision document in spring 2025 that identifies the lot as a redevelopment site and calls for mixed-use and residential development. The plan led Luke Jensen, president of RES Development, to purchase the land for apartments.
“The site is in a transitional area, and I think there will be interest in downtown living,” Jensen said. “I am hopeful that one successful project will ignite a larger residential development renaissance downtown with cool places to live.”
CityLight is in the early planning stages. Jensen has been gathering input and is actively working with the City of Ames to see the project through.
The Ames City Council voted on May 12 to indicate support for the CityLight project with the intent of approving a property tax abatement or other incentives to meet Iowa Workforce Housing Tax Credit (WHTC) requirements. The council is also considering zoning changes to facilitate the project.
CityLight’s application for the housing tax credit is due June 10.
Multiple apartment sizes would be available at CityLight
The current concept for CityLight is a mix of studio, one and two-bedroom market-rate apartments. The proposal has 18 studios, seven one-bedroom and 14 two-bedroom units.
The building will be 42 to 45 feet tall, Jensen said.
Plans also include a half-acre parking lot with one space per unit.
Zoning modifications needed for new apartment building in Ames
The property is located in the Neighborhood Commercial zoning district.
Jensen’s proposal is 20 spaces short of meeting the standard. In his request to the council, he said the parking ratios are outdated and too automobile-dependent.
“I’m trying to supply adequate parking of one space per unit,” Jensen said. “Many of the residents will choose this area as there are far more multimodal transportation opportunities in the urban core.”
Additionally, his proposal for a four-story building with a flat roof exceeds the current zoning standard.
Jensen believes his requests are “fairly modest in light of the vision,” and he wants to bring more people to the Main Street district.
“I want to see more people living downtown and spending their time and money in our stores, shops and restaurants,” Jensen said. “I also want to see strong social engagement with people who love living in downtown Ames and enjoy the year-round opportunities the downtown area offers.”
What comes next for CityLight Apartments?
Jensen plans to use the winter to fine-tune the apartment design, budgeting, and scheduling.
He said the ideal construction start date is spring 2027 and predicts it will take 12-15 months to build.
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Downtown Ames readies for 4-story, 39-unit apartment complex
Reporting by Celia Brocker, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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