Credit: KS Department of Commerce

(KMZA)--The Kansas Department of Commerce has announced that Seneca is one of two Kansas Main Street communities to receive funding through the Residential Opportunities on Main Street, or ROOMS, program.

Locally, the grant will support the rehabilitation of five upper-story apartments above the historic Seneca Twin Theater at 301 Main Street. The project will upgrade electrical and plumbing systems and return long-vacant residential space to productive use in the heart of downtown. Once complete, the apartments will provide new housing options within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and other community amenities.

“This is a big win for downtown Seneca,” said Kylee Bergstrom, Executive Director of the Seneca Area Chamber and Downtown Impact. “The Theater is one of our most recognizable buildings, and bringing housing back to the upper floor strengthens both the building and our Main Street. We are grateful to Kansas Main Street and the Department of Commerce for investing in rural communities like ours.”

Last summer, the Department of Commerce awarded ROOMS grants to five additional communities, creating 29 new upper-floor housing units and generating nearly nine million dollars in private investment. The two projects selected for this round of funding are expected to leverage almost $4.7 million in private investment.