Construction begins on phase 1, transforming outdated public housing into mixed-income, workforce housing

Pennrose, West Point Housing Authority (WPHA), Collaborative Housing Solutions, City of West Point, and project partners celebrated the groundbreaking of West Point Village Phase I, the first phase in the redevelopment of WPHA’s public housing portfolio. The new mixed-income community will deliver 72 family apartments, a community garden, robust supportive services, and is expected to spur continued investment in the 10^th Street Corridor.

Speakers at the groundbreaking celebration included: Robert Dull, Chief Executive Officer, West Point Housing Authority; Coleman Reeves, Board Chair, West Point Housing Authority; Mayor Steve Tramell, City of West Point; Ed Moon, City Manager, City of West Point; Kevin Patrick, Chairperson, West Point Development Authority; Amon Martin, Regional Vice President, Pennrose, LLC; Richelle Patton, President, Collaborative Housing Solutions; Mitch Kelly, Director of Office of Finance, Georgia Department of Community Affairs; and David Beidler, Vice President of Business Development, Advantage Capital.

Located at 1601 Village Way on approximately six acres of land, plans for West Point Village Phase I include three, three-story, garden-style residential buildings with a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. The community will provide much-needed affordable and workforce housing, with units available at 30% to 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

“I am very excited to see this new housing development here in West Point,” said Mayor Steve Tramell, City of West Point. “This will not only provide much needed work force housing for workers here in West Point and this entire region, it will also provide a beautiful new opportunity for families from our housing authority to live in a nice new environment. Public/private partnerships such as this have successfully been developed across our nation and I am so thankful for it finally to have arrived here in West Point. A lot of hard work has been done by our Housing Authority Board and the Griffin Housing Authority management team and they deserve a big thank you from all of us.”

“I'd like to thank the leadership of the West Point Housing Authority Board of Commissioners and our development partners for their commitment to West Point Village,” said Coleman Reeves, Board Chair for the West Point Housing Authority. “This represents years of dedication and perseverance into creating affordable housing opportunities for our residents and growing workforce. Phase 1 is the first step toward implementing our long-term goal in providing mixed income housing for our area. We are proud to be a part of the team that helped facilitate the West Point Village development and excited to see the positive impact it will have on the community.”

Residents will have access to robust on-site amenities and supportive services, including a community garden, wellness center and activity room, and outdoor community space. In addition, to help promote sustainable healthy eating, residents can partake in a free monthly gardening club, which aims to improve health outcomes through health and nutrition education, organic gardening, engaging guest speakers and workshops, and hands-on activities for families. The Troup County Health Department and Georgia Department of Public Health will also implement a Preventive Health Program, offering monthly on-site screenings and health and wellness education.

In addition to on-site amenities, the City of West Point is funding off-site public infrastructure improvements to create a more pedestrian-friendly streetscape and foster walkability to nearby retail, employment sectors, the West Point Elementary School, and neighboring WPHA communities. Additionally, the planned improvements will support greater connectivity opportunities and spur future residential and commercial investment in the area.

“We’re proud to officially kick off the West Point Village transformation, the first step in the City and WPHA’s comprehensive vision for the 10^th Street Corridor revitalization,” said Amon Martin, regional vice president at Pennrose. “This community has been years in the making, pairing high-quality housing with a strong supportive services strategy that will improve resident quality of life for many years to come.”

“We are grateful for the opportunity to help the City of West Point and the West Point Housing Authority redevelop West Point’s public housing and provide much-needed mixed-income workforce housing for West Point’s residents,” said Richelle Patton, president at Collaborative Housing Solutions. “We look forward to being a member of the West Point community for years to come.”

To ensure a holistic redevelopment approach that meets the needs of residents and neighbors, local community leaders and agencies in West Point are working closely with the project team to drive community engagement and outreach efforts to establish a Community Transformation Plan. With public input, the team will develop strategies that focus on achieving improved health, education, transportation, and employment outcomes for residents within the community.

This RAD Conversion has received financial support from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and Georgia Housing and Finance Agency, Synovus Bank, Advantage Capital, the West Point Development Authority, and the West Point Housing Authority. In addition to competitive federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits, the project was also awarded National Housing Trust Funds.

With a regional office in Atlanta, Pennrose has a strong record of developing high-quality residential communities in Georgia and throughout the Southeast region of the United States. Pennrose previously partnered with Collaborative Housing Solutions and the Griffin Housing Authority, Housing Administrator for WPHA, on the transformative redevelopment of the Meriwether Homes public housing site into vibrant, award-winning mixed-income housing in Griffin, GA.