The Rome-Floyd County Planning Commission on Thursday recommended approval of several rezonings for the city’s East Rome redevelopment plan.

The biggest parcel, stretching along 12th Street between Crane Street and Cedar Avenue, was recommended to be rezoned multifamily residential from office institutional for apartments.

“This traditional residential corridor on 12th Street becomes an extension of South Broad Street with this plan,” said John Skach, a senior associate from Urban Collage of Atlanta, who is doing the planning for the project for the Rome Housing Authority.

The planning commission also recommended approval of a rezoning request on East 13th Street to multifamily residential from office institutional for duplexes and special use permits for apartments and retail development in the community commercial district on East 12th Street near Walnut Avenue.

If approved, a $16 milllion federal grant would primarily pay to replace the 100-unit Altoview Terrace public housing complex with 300 new public housing units in the Maple Avenue and East 12th Street area.

Skach said once rezoning is approved and the grant application is turned into the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, they’d likely get approval by February with a tentative start date in March or April for building.

The project is the centerpiece of a master plan to revitalize the district between U.S. 27 and the Norfolk-Southern Railroad tracks and attract private investment.

“This is a huge project with tremendous benefit to East Rome,” Skach said.

He also told the planning commission during presentation of the housing authority’s plan during the public hearing that they are also planning for a number of senior housing units to be built in the future. The project would have to be completed in five years, according to Skach.

The Rome City Commission is expected to hold a public hearing about the rezoning requests during its Oct. 19 meeting.

In other action, the planning commission:

l Recommended approval of a request for a special use permit to allow a manufactured home on Skyline Drive.

The County Commission will hear that request on Oct. 27.

l Three annexation requests to the city of Rome were approved for 127 Shoreline Drive, 2630 Lakeridge Circle and 127 Norcross Way. Those will also go before the City Commission for a final vote on Oct. 19.