By JAMES BROWN
Glasgow News 1
A Barren County lease deal could turn the former health department into senior citizen housing.
The Barren County Fiscal Court approved an option-to-lease agreement with Wabuck Development Company on Tuesday morning. Wabuck intends to seek funds to convert the former Barren County Health Department property in Glasgow into new housing for seniors.
Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd said the developer specializes in senior and low-income housing projects.
Wabuck is headquartered in Leitchfield, Kentucky, and began in 1980 by developing properties utilizing Rural Development Funds, according to information on the company website.
Byrd said during a recent interview on WCLU that Wabuck officials initially approached county leaders about a year ago, then renewed its interest about six months ago after working on projects in other communities.
She said Caldwell County’s judge-executive recently worked with the company on a project and recommended them. The development there was similar to the one proposed in Barren County, which is affordable senior citizen housing.
According to Byrd, Wabuck plans to apply for new market tax credit funding to support the project at the former health department site.
She said those tax credit funds are set up to help pay for community projects, including housing.
“[Wabuck gives the county] an amount of money to lease it until March (2027). If they have not gotten the funding by then, we get $100,000. They continue to go after the funds, and if they do get the funds, [the county] gets an additional $500,000 after that,” Byrd said during the fiscal court meeting.
Barren County County Attorney Mike Richardson further clarified on what was in front of the magistrates for consideration.
“This right here is the option to lease,” Richardson said. “They are paying an amount … to keep the option to lease open.
“Obviously when you are doing an option to lease, you are holding [the property] and you are not able to give it to anybody else.”
“The actual lease that will get worked out will come later once they have the funding they will need to build everything,” Richardson said.
Byrd said during the WCLU interview the project would fill a significant housing need in the community, and that the Glasgow location is considered a strong site for new market tax credit applications.
She added that, based on Wabuck’s track record in other counties, she is confident the plan will move forward and result in what she called a top-notch facility at the former health department property.
Driver’s License Office
A regional driver’s license office is still in the works for Barren County, despite it no longer being planned for the former health department site.
“We did show them that property back, in like, November of last year. The amount of money we would have to put into it was not going to be feasible,” Byrd said during the Tuesday fiscal court meeting.
She said the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is moving forward with plans to place a licensing office in Barren County, but that it seeks the proper location that will meet its needs.
The state wants a 6,000 square foot space with 60 parking spaces.
“They just put out the request last week … looking for property in Barren County,” Byrd said.
The transportation cabinet expects 250 customers a day at the Barren County licensing office.
Key Facts
– Barren County Fiscal Court approved an option-to-lease agreement with Wabuck Development Company
– The agreement covers the former Barren County Health Department property in Glasgow
– Wabuck plans to seek new market tax credit funding for senior and low-income housing
– County will receive nonrefundable earnest payments during the funding process
– Total lease value could reach close to $600,000 if full funding is secured
County would retain ownership of the property under a long-term lease
