Andalusia’s Downtown Development Authority will meet tonight to consider a project agreement with Pinnacle Place, LLC, who with Team Management and Development plans to build a 150-apartment complex on Hwy. 84 in the area known as “Debro” Hill.

The project, announced in October 2007, is expected to include apartments with full kitchens, large living rooms and large bedrooms with large closets. A club house will feature work out areas, laundry, meeting rooms, and a swimming pool.

Mayor Earl Johnson told council members last night that the developers have financing, a contractor and bids in place and are ready to move forward.

Johnson said the project is eligible for special incentives through the Downtown Redevelopment Authority, whose scope he hopes the council will agree to expand to include the entire city.

In turn, the Authority will consider a project agreement through which the developers can qualify for tax incentives that make the project more attractive for them.

Andy Wiggins, director of planning, said the first development phase will include 64 apartments. The plan also calls for retail establishments to be included in the development.

Both Johnson and city clerk John Thompson said this kind of development is “desperately needed” in Andalusia.

“We lost a substantial firm at the airport that would have brought a number of high-tech, engineering jobs here,” Johnson said, adding that the top reason given by the company’s owners for not locating here was the lack of apartment-type housing in the area.

“These people wouldn’t live in an apartment the rest of their lives, but they needed a nice place until they could make other arrangements,” he said.