Historic Hill Street School Transformed into Affordable Senior Housing: Grand Opening Celebration Announced

Gorman & Company is proud to announce the grand opening of the Hill Street School Apartments, an adaptive reuse project that breathes new life into the historic Hill Street School. The celebration will take place on Friday, April 11, at 11 a.m. at 435 S. Hill St., Globe, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and remarks from key partners.

Originally built in 1920, the Hill Street School has been thoughtfully repurposed into 64 mixed-income, high-quality apartments designed to serve seniors (55+), earning between 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) of Gila County. The project also includes market-rate units, ensuring a diverse and inclusive community for residents.

“Hill Street School Apartments serves as a model for historic preservation and community-driven development,” Sally Schwenn, Arizona Market President for Gorman & Company, said. “We are honored to be part of this partnership, bringing high-quality, affordable housing options to seniors in Globe.”

The transformation of the former schoolhouse into vibrant senior housing was made possible through an innovative financing strategy, including 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds provided through the City of Globe and the Southern Gila County Economic Development Corporation, and funding from the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH).

“The Hill Street School project is a great example of the power of the State Housing Tax Credit program,” ADOH Interim Director Ruby Dhillon-Williams said. "We have shovel-ready federal low-income housing tax credit projects that can be bolstered with critical additional financial resources in order to quickly bring to market the attainable housing our state needs, in this case specifically for seniors, and the State Housing Tax Credit program fills that crucial gap.”

A key component of this financing was S.B. 1124, Arizona’s first-ever state tax credit program. This program has been instrumental in driving rural development and expanding affordable housing opportunities across the state. It is set to expire at the end of the year. This rural project is the first in Arizona to utilize the state’s new tax credit program, proving its effectiveness in attracting private investment and serving as a model for future rural affordable housing initiatives.

The public is invited to join the celebration and tour the newly completed apartments. Light refreshments will be provided.