Old apartment complex will come back as Columbia Gardens at South City
Photo by St. Clair Murraine
Photo by St. Clair Murraine
By St. Clair Murraine
Outlook Staff Writer
At the time when Timikia Ivory relocated from Orange Avenue Apartments, she was well on her way to establishing a cleaning business. At the same time, she was earning a nursing degree at Lively Tech.
She credits being able to live in the old Orange Avenue Apartments for helping her find her footing. However, when she had to relocate to make room for the redevelopment, she wasn’t sure she’d come back.
During the last few months, she’s seen how the property is being reshaped with three-story buildings. It has created a burning desire to move back.
When she does, she will be returning to an upscale gated community with Columbia Gardens at South City as its new name. The property will also be managed by Columbia Residential.
Ivory figures the upgraded setting would help her two children set high goals. Getting one of the new apartments would be sentimental for Ivory, too.
“This has been a part of my journey so I want to come back over and be a part of it,” said Ivory, who lived in the old apartments for five years. “Now that I can have a chance to come back with the redevelopment, I think that would be awesome with the community.”
Ivory made her first trip back to the property last Saturday. She was there to introduce Marcia L. Fudge, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Fudge, who was also in town as a speaker at FAMU’s spring commencement, made the stop as a part of the Biden-Harris administration’s “Investing in America” Tour.
At one point during her comments, Fudge seemed as if she was speaking directly to individuals like Ivory.
“I’m here to make sure that people can raise their children in an environment where they feel safe,” Fudge said. “I want people to believe in America again.
“We work for you. I want you to know that’s what we do. I want you to know that we see you because too often we drive through neighborhoods like I sure this one was some time ago and we don’t see it. We think the people are invisible, but I see you and I thank every single one of you who has made this project possible.”
The list includes HUD, which provided the bulk of the $82.874 million that the redevelopment cost. The City of Tallahassee put in $6.527 million and $2.002 million came from Leon County government. The two local governments contributed a combined $3 million from the American Rescue Plan.
The funding partnerships were essential to the project getting off the ground, said Brenda Williams, Executive Director of Tallahassee Housing Authority.
“We need support and partnerships to help us meet the housing needs of our community,” Williams said, as she turned to Fudge. “Your support helps us to provide safe, affordable and quality housing to all members of our community.”
One hundred and thirty apartments will make up phase one of the project. The second phase will be 160 apartments. The first phase will be completed by next spring, with the second phase completed by next fall.
County Commissioner Bill Proctor applauded Williams for her will to make the redevelopment happen, in spite of challenges she could have had from the state.
“The Biden-Harris team understands that the difficulty of getting money to poor people is hard in this state called Florida,” Proctor said. “In this state, the administration has intentioned money for transportation. We have an administration (Gov. Ron DeSantis) that refuses the money – billions of dollars. Didn’t want it.
“We have an administration with intention money for poor people in Florida for medical access and Florida’s governor refuses to receive that more than a million Floridians to go and see the doctor.”
Mayor John Dailey also tout the Biden-Harris administration for money it has put into the community, especially during the pandemic. In addition to housing, that money was used for public health, revenue loss recovery in government, homelessness and food insecurity, Dailey said, standing in the shadow of the redevelopment.
“What we see is a prime example of the city, the country, the housing authority, the CRA and the community coming together for this absolutely, amazing state-of-the art example of how to get things done,” Dailey said. “This project is absolutely amazing.”
