MASON CITY — Mason City’s continuing push to expand housing opportunities is taking another step forward, with city officials preparing land-use and financial incentives for a proposed apartment development in southwest Mason City while several other residential projects move through various stages of planning and construction across the community.
The latest project, previously identified as Legacy at the 19 and now called “The Tradition,” is proposed for land south of 19th Street SW, between the Fairways and South Central Heights neighborhoods, near the Legacy at the 19 golf course.
The development is part of a broader effort by City Hall to encourage new rental housing, attract private investment and prepare additional land for residential construction.
On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the Mason City Council will consider another step toward that objective when members review a proposed amendment to the city’s Unified Urban Renewal Plan.
According to an October 2026 memorandum from Development Services Director Steven Van Steenhuyse, the proposed 14th amendment would add two areas to the city’s existing urban renewal district, including a Southwest Housing Focus Area encompassing the proposed Tradition development.
The amendment would make additional development incentives and financing tools available for qualifying projects in those areas.
One of the most significant provisions would make The Tradition eligible for a 10-year, 100% property-tax abatement under Mason City’s Urban Revitalization Program.
Such an incentive could provide substantial tax relief on qualifying improvements, although the city has not specified the potential dollar value of the proposed benefit.
The amendment would establish eligibility for the incentive rather than automatically awarding the developer a tax break or authorizing construction.
The apartment development has been under consideration since at least 2025.
In May of that year, council members considered rezoning approximately 17 acres near 19th Street SW between South Harding Avenue and Augusta Drive to accommodate a proposed three-story residential building containing 53 units.
Plans at the time also included a parking lot and a pickleball court.
The rezoning proposal generated opposition from some neighboring property owners, with concerns raised about traffic and the effects of the development on surrounding residential areas.
The November 2026 proposal represents another step toward establishing the financial and planning conditions under which the development could proceed. The city memorandum does not establish whether the original 53-unit design has changed.
The proposed urban renewal amendment also includes land east of South Taft Avenue and south of the Briarstone neighborhood, where additional development is contemplated as part of the Briarstone Third Addition.
City officials say the amendment would extend the existing urban renewal district farther east to include that property.
The Tradition and Briarstone proposals are only part of a larger collection of housing developments receiving attention from Mason City officials.
The Willow Pointe project, proposed by Kading Properties, could eventually bring nearly 200 rental townhomes to land west of North Eisenhower Avenue and north of the MercyOne West Campus.
The project was proposed in two phases, beginning with at least 98 residential units and eventually expanding to nearly 200 units if the full development proceeds.
That proposal also illustrates how city officials have used property-tax incentives and infrastructure planning to encourage private housing construction.
Mason City’s involvement includes a proposed 10-year abatement of qualifying city property taxes and plans for water infrastructure improvements that could serve both the development and additional future growth.
The Willow Pointe project also received $1 million in Iowa Workforce Housing Tax Credits for its initial phase.
As NIT reported September 8, housing projects in Mason City, Clear Lake and Ventura collectively received more than $2.25 million in state workforce housing tax-credit awards intended to support 133 new housing units in Cerro Gordo County.
Housing redevelopment is also being pursued in downtown Mason City.
In June, NIT reported on a proposed 19-unit apartment building at the former Kirk Apartments property, where a devastating fire had previously destroyed the aging residential building near North Federal Avenue and 2nd Street Northwest.
That project, proposed by DEV Partners of Des Moines, would combine new apartments with a separate retail and office building along North Federal Avenue.
City officials have been working through site-plan reviews, setback requirements and financing incentives associated with the proposal.
The Kirk redevelopment follows other recent investments in downtown residential housing, including The Delaware Apartments and the Federal Avenue Townhomes.
Mason City has also pursued smaller redevelopment projects intended to return underused buildings to productive use.
That project includes plans for future apartments and commercial space, with assistance from a $100,000 state Community Catalyst Building Remediation Grant and other proposed financing sources.
Not every housing proposal has advanced successfully, however.
In July, NIT reported that a proposed 45-unit senior housing development near Mason City’s Northbridge area had collapsed after its developer identified an approximately $1 million financing gap.
The proposed Encore Senior Living development had previously received substantial state and federal housing assistance commitments, but its developer withdrew after determining that the available financing would not cover the cost of construction.
That setback demonstrates the financial challenges that can prevent housing projects from proceeding even after significant planning and public investment.
The city’s efforts to expand residential development have also benefited from its designation as an Iowa Thriving Community, recognition intended to help qualifying communities compete for certain housing tax-credit programs.
The latest Tradition proposal would add another potential project to that broader housing development effort.
Before the City Council takes action, the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the proposed urban renewal amendment October 13 and determined that it was consistent with Mason City’s Comprehensive Plan.
The commission recommended approval.
On October 26, city staff held a required consultation with Cerro Gordo County and the Mason City Community School District concerning the amendment and its potential effects on other taxing authorities.
According to the city memorandum, neither the county nor the school district sent representatives to the consultation, and no written comments had been received as of the report.
City officials indicate the amendment would have no immediate budget impact beyond legal and administrative expenses associated with the required proceedings.
The longer-term financial implications would depend on the development projects that ultimately proceed and the incentives approved for them.
The Mason City Council will consider the proposed amendment during its November 3 meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Mason City Room at the Mason City Public Library.
If approved, the amendment would expand the city’s ability to use development incentives in southwest Mason City and establish another piece of the groundwork for The Tradition apartment project.
Taken together, the proposed apartments, townhomes, downtown redevelopment projects and related infrastructure improvements reflect Mason City’s continuing effort to increase its housing inventory through a combination of private development, municipal planning, tax incentives and state assistance.
Whether every proposed project ultimately becomes a reality remains uncertain, but city officials continue taking steps intended to make additional housing construction possible.
Map: Legacy at the 19 golf course, a landmark near the proposed apartment development. The marker does not delineate the project boundaries.