The Virginian-Pilot
©
PORTSMOUTH
One day, a Mount Hermon resident may be able to stroll down tree-lined sidewalks through the site of the former Jeffry Wilson housing complex to shop at a neighborhood store.
Designers who are here this week hope to make the site on the corner of Frederick Boulevard and Turnpike Road the "elbow" that connects the neighborhoods of Westhaven and Mount Hermon.
On Thursday night, a project manager for Urban Design Associates showed conceptual designs and drawings he and others developed this week in conjunction with city and housing authority staff, neighborhood residents and former Jeffry Wilson residents.
Redevelopment of the site is being financed by a $20 million federal Hope VI grant.
The plan incorporates land from the neighboring campus of the Stephen H. Clarke school complex.
The Portsmouth School Board voted earlier this month to seek approval from the City Council to sell the 4.2 acres to the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority, which is managing the redevelopment.
Planners expect the development to eventually contain nearly 300 units. Under the Hope VI grant, 221 of the units must be subsidized housing, project manager Joe Nickol said.
The goal is to seamlessly incorporate the subsidized housing with the other housing, Nickol said.
Portsmouth has accomplished that successfully in the Westbury community, Nickol said.
That community replaced the former Ida Barbour housing complex.
The design also calls for 20,000 to 30,000 feet of retail space.
Nickol said storefronts would face Frederick Boulevard and the stores would be small, neighborhood shops ranging from 1,600 to 10,000 square feet.
The housing authority would maintain control over who the tenants would be, Nickol said. Units would include townhouses, duplexes and apartment houses, according to the designs. The plans include two parks and a community center.
Former Jeffry Wilson resident Donna Clerkin said she would like to return to the new community to live.
"The whole area's changing," Clerkin said.
She said, however, that she thinks people would immediately be able to tell that the residents who lived in the proposed nine-unit apartment buildings were in subsidized housing.
"You're going to know right away that's not condos," Clerkin said.
Staff writer Cheryl Ross contributed to this report.
Jen McCaffery, (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
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I know I'm late to the
I know I'm late to the discussion and only people looking over archives will see this but I agree that if they turn it into a Westbury-esque setting, that would be fine.
Corporate Welfare
To all concerned about tax dollars being used to help poor people, you need to know that the federal govt. spends about $100,000,000,000 on corporate welfare for companies such as Exxon - Mobil. Now, that's something to be upset about!
crime
As a former narcotics investigator, I can tell you that more drugs are available in the suburbs than you seem to realize. Also, more dope addicts are White, not just in numbers, but by a huge percentage of each population.
How many nay-sayers have
How many nay-sayers have been to Westbury? Go check it out. It's been there for years now...you can see and judge for yourself as to whether or not this type of community will work.
Yes, it may be true that
Yes, it may be true that people admitting to being Black make up only a small part of our overall population. It is also true that Blacks were legally paid less Whites, for the same position, even when better qualified & educated, until the late 60's.
I'm old enough to remember when Academy Park was all White, with many being destitute. I also remember some classmates in high school in the 60's, from Academy Park, dropping out in the 9th, or 10th grade, going to the shipyard, being trained by Black fathers & then being made foremen over their trainers. I also remember, classmates from Academy Park, who worked hard, got into college, and made something of themselves. I also know of Black classmates, from "projects", who went on to college, and improved the lives of their families. Some are members of the Bar, & even sit on the bench or in the House & Senate. People, regardless of color, when given re
NOT BUILDINGS...NOT RACE.....IT'S THE PEOPLE
You can build all the "HOPE" buildings you want. You can build all the "Hope" buildings you want with "federal" or "municipal" money. IT'S STILL MY MONEY!!!! There is an element that will be housed in these (new) buildings that will tear them to pieces just like they have done in Jeffery Wilson and other communities across Portsmouth and Tidewater. I believe it is time to expect more of people and our Portsmouth City government. I agree, with "federal" money, it makes it cheaper for Portsmouth to rebuild or replace these housing projects but that is only the beginning of future drains on Portsmouth's already drained budgets. When these are constructed, they only serve to draw people who will be requiring a draw on many other "social services" that the Citizens will be obliged to provide at our tax expense. I have no problem with supporting elderly, or the infirm, but drive through Portsmout
Hope VI Funding requires housing
The redevelopment of JW is funded by a Federal HOPE VI grant which stipulates a specific number of new units, this project will be very similar in nature to Westbury(a HOPE VI grant funded redev), not the JW or Ida B Projects of old. Federal money, not Portsmouth municipal funds will pay for this. A definate improvement for the city.
Who collects more welfare?
Here are the statistics on welfare recipients:
Traits of families on AFDC (1)
Race
--------------
White 38.8%
Black 37.2
Hispanic 17.8
Asian 2.8
Other 3.4
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-welfareblack.htm
While there are indeed more whites on welfare than blacks numerically speaking, it should also be remembered that blacks represent only 12% of the population of the US.
In any case, I hope and pray that the Westbury model is being pursued and not a replacement for Jeffry Wilson. Projects don't work. They merely centralize crime and blight for a community.
joek43001
You hit the nail square on the head. Why would you get rid of the biggest headache this city ever had to only rebuild it again. Oh I forgot, Council wants the Sandlers tp rebuild Academy Park (Fairwood Homes). Most people forget the reason you have to stop Halloween at 8:00 is because one of the fine residents of Jeffrey Wilson stabbed a kid to death over a bag of candy.
Facts
Military personnel are eligible for subsidized housing. Government,(city & state), employees are eligible. This doesn't disturb you? I'm speaking from facts, not pictures from Google. I can Google my own home, and get pictures that look nothing like my house or my neighborhood. Google, wikipedia & the like aren't always reliable.
I'm old enough to know "Code Words" when I hear them or read them.