HASTINGS, Neb. – The ribbon is cut on the first building of a new 132-unit modern apartment complex in Hastings. 

Members of the Hastings community and the Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce convened at the Elm 26 Apartments complex on E 26th St. and N Elm Ave. to officially open the first of five buildings holding 22 units. 

The opening comes less than a year after developers broke ground on the former vacant land.

"We turned dirt Nov. 1 (2024), and we already have tenants living in this 22-plex nine months later, so it's an incredible accomplishment," said RIZER President Scott Rief. "We're excited to continue open buildings about every six weeks we'll have a building open, and have a combination of 132 units that will start serving the city of Hastings."

The apartments feature both one and two bed/bathroom living spaces ranging from 716 to 1,053 square feet. 

Rief previously told NCN that 'quite a few' people living in their Grand Island apartments work in Hastings due to limited housing options, but he's hoping these new units will allow more people to work where they live.

"Once you start getting a product like this, you can start recruiting professionals and working families to move to your community, but also stay in the community to continue to serve Hastings and their employers, and also future employers." said Rief.

Rief also announced the rebranding of former companies Innate Concepts and Full Circle Services to combine, and now be known as RIZER under one entity. 

The other four apartment buildings still under construction are expected to be open one building at a time every six weeks.  

According to the Elm 26 website, rent for a single unit costs in the range of $1,300-$1,850