NORFOLK, Neb. -- The Norfolk Housing Agency Board of Directors is looking at potential redevelopment plans for a previous hotel now serving as apartments.

The board announced Monday that it voted last week to initiate a request for proposals from qualified developers for the acquisition and redevelopment of the Kensington located at 108 North 4th Street.

"The desire of the Norfolk Housing Agency is to allow for the revitalization of the Kensington in downtown Norfolk," the agency said in a press release. "The NHA conducted a strategic planning session in November 2021 to set short-term and long-term goals for the organization. One of the short-term goals was to address the needs of the Kensington owned by the NHA."

According to the agency, the board of directors asked staff to explore rehabilitation of the building and the possibility of selling the building by issuing the RFP.

Since selling was an option to explore, the NHA said, the board decided to draft the RFP with the intent of returning the building back to its original use as a hotel. The structure was built in 1926.

"This RFP is meant to garner interest from potential developers as a historic downtown hotel redevelopment project," the agency said in its press release. "If a sale ends up being an option, the goal is to use the proceeds to develop additional housing units in the community to be managed by the NHA."

No final plans have been put in place for selling or rehabilitating the building.

"The board wants to thoroughly explore these two options, as the number one concern is the families living in the building and providing them with the best safe and affordable housing options," the agency's press release stated.