The Low Income Housing Institute has filled more than half of its 57 units at the newly constructed August Wilson Place in downtown Bellevue, using a lottery to handle the demand for affordable apartment units in the city.

Construction on the affordable housing building started last January and was completed in late March. LIHI began filling units in mid-April, having received more than 300 applications.

“We had a lottery and did that, and we have just been signing leases, basically as many as we can do in a week,” said Brad Reuling, LIHI construction project manager. “We’ve kind of got the list full, if you will, however, people do drop off.”

LIHI Executive Director Sharon Lee said the nonprofit names its buildings after people who were strong advocates for social and racial justice. Playwright August Wilson, who lived in Seattle from 1990 and worked with the Seattle Repertory Theater Company until the time of his death in 2005, was picked for the Bellevue apartment building.

“He was just a fabulous artist, who wrote about the black experience in America,” Lee said, adding members of Wilson’s family will be present during an open house for August Wilson Place 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 26. “His widow is going to be there and his daughter, and then we’re also going to have some young people recite his monologues.”

The 57 units at August Wilson Place include studio, studio-plus and 2- and 3-bedroom apartments, the smallest units being about 349 square feet and the largest at 1,075 square feet. There are 23 parking spaces available off of Northeast Second Street.

Apartment costs range from $463 to $1,207 per month, and are being provided to individuals and families at 60 percent or less of the area median income. The building was constructed to the state’s Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard.

“We hold onto these (buildings) basically forever, and we want a product that’s going to last,” Reuling said. “We can establish capital for building projects, but it’s really hard to raise capital for maintaining projects.”

The apartment building also includes a community room with kids play area, an office for Sound Mental Health to perform case management, a laundry facility and leasing office. Reuling said potential applicants should check availability and occupancy requirements online.

August Wilson Place is located at 204 111th Ave. N.E.