ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Those looking for housing in the area now have a new option.
Pancake Flats Apartments, located at 304 E. Pancake Blvd., officially had its ribbon cutting last week. Petra Chief Development Officer Tylan Dyer said the project has been in the works for more than a year.
“It was last June or July when we were awarded what we needed, but we'd started coming out here probably two and a half years ago, which is when we'd started throwing around the idea for the project,” Dyer said. “I'm originally from Beaver, Okla., so I'm familiar with the area, and I've got a good friend who runs this area and also knows the people and area really well. He introduced me to Eli [Svaty], Jose [Lara] and Jeff [Parsons], and that's when more serious talks began to start, and that's when we started putting bid packages together and doing all that work, and that's when we also started looking at locations. We found this location at 304 E. Pancake Blvd., and then we gained control of the property and applied through the state for everything needed there. Once we got our award, we had to move quickly in terms of planning and zoning and construction and all of that, and then after that, things started moving forward more with Madison [Stimatze] and her team to come in and do what they needed to. That's the genesis of the project, and there's still work we can potentially do in this area in terms of providing housing. Construction took about six or seven months, and there was a lot of work done, including putting in the digital meters, appliances, central HVAC units and all of that. Our commitment to the State of Kansas was 22 units, and this complex has 23 units, and we're really happy with how everything ended up.”
Dyer added Petra has been in charge of recent similar projects.
“This was actually kind of an easy project for us because we recently finished a 54-unit project in Garden City with a place like this, and I know it can be hard for some people to reimagine a space like this as a multi-housing unit. Motels are like are rather underused, especially in an area like this where there are three national flag hotels right down the road,” Dyer said. “A lot of people also travel for corporate travel, so they're more likely to stay somewhere their employer can book them, meaning a lot of people would pass by a place like this. We did the project in Garden City, and it's starting out really well, and when we came up with this project, we needed to find a spot that fit what we wanted and the state requirements. With this location, we know there's some noise from the highway, but that noise isn't 24/7, but the tenants who are here are workforce hunting, so they'll only be here at night, and their main objective will be to come, get a quick meal and get some sleep before heading out again. Most of those people are working long hours, meaning they're gone most of the day, so they need something affordable where they can get some things figured out, and some of those people are also chasing jobs from town to town, meaning they're not necessarily here to settle long-term.”
Property Manager Madison Stimatze then talked about pricing and other details.
“We have two one-bedroom/one-bathroom units available, and the rest are studio units. The studio units are $750 and the one-bedroom/one-bathroom units are $850, but that includes rent, all utilities and high-speed Internet,” Stimatze said. “We do allow pets – maximum of two – and while we don't have any weight restrictions, there are some breed restrictions that may apply. That pet fee is $250 per pet, and the pet rent is $25 per pet, and we also have some preferred employer discounts for people who work at places like National Beef, the Seward County Sheriff's Office, etc., and that discount is $50. We've been reaching out via Facebook, apartments.com, and multiple other media and online places. Since we are based out of Wichita, we do have photos and videos available to send to potential tenants so they can see what everything looks like.”
Stimatze said she is excited the project is officially completed.
“I'm excited to get people moved in and create that bond with the tenants. When I was working at a property in Winfield, I moved a lot of people in, and I got to form that relationship with them and talk to them on a daily basis, so that's what I'm looking for here,” Stimatze said. “I want the tenants to know even though we are based in Wichita, they can get in touch with me with any issues and I will do my best to make sure they're get taken care of.”
Potential tenants can apply online at https://www.pancakeflatapartment.com/. The application fee is $40, and the application includes past rental history, employment information and some other information, and management will also also do a background check.
Stimatze said she was happy to see the community’s support at the ribbon-cutting last week, and said she is excited to meet potential tenants.
“Seeing so many people at the ribbon-cutting and showing their support absolutely made my day. I was kind of nervous because I wasn't sure what turnout would be like, but seeing all the support from the Chamber of Commerce and other community leaders absolutely meant the world to me,” Stimatze said. “If anyone has any questions, they can get in touch with me at (620) 209-5277 or visit us at https://www.pancakeflatapartment.com/ or at apartments.com, and I'll be happy to answer any questions!”
