An infill apartment project will bring a complex of all three-bedroom units to western Kennewick.

Ely Apartments is a venture of  Suebug Enterprises LLC’s Will McKay and Kyle Beauchamp.

McKay purchased the four-acre site, 2652 W. 15th Ave., Kennewick, from his father, Bill McKay in 2020.

The elder McKay purchased it in 2017 with the intent to build a mini-storage project to match his existing one on 27th Avenue.

Bill McKay, a member of the Kennewick City Council, shelved the mini-storage plan because so many similar projects are being built around town.

Will McKay, who is a member of the Benton County Commission, in addition to running W McKay Construction, said the project will have 56 units, all with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

With demand for housing at an all-time high and employers such as Amazon and Darigold bringing many new jobs to the market, it made sense to build a residential project, he said.

The three-bedroom configuration is unusual. Apartment complexes typically offer a mix of unit types. But McKay said the team wanted to cater to renters who need a more homelike atmosphere, such as families that need extra rooms for kids and offices.

The location, near the Kennewick Fred Meyer and Benton Public Utility District offices, offers easy access to Highway 395, shopping and employment centers. The street, West 15th Avenue, dips into the Zintel Canyon Greenway to the east of the development site, putting it close to one of the major trailheads for the Spirit of America Trail.

South Ely Street borders the property to the west.

W McKay Construction, the general contractor, planned to break ground in early May. It is expected to be ready for tenants in summer 2023. It will be managed by a property management firm that has not yet been selected.

The project has a construction value of $4.5 million. McKay declined to disclose the total budget.