PORTSMOUTH
The planning commission on Tuesday recommended approval to build 84 apartments on the site of the former Chase View apartments, a project that would bring more redevelopment to Midtown.
The $15 million project at 3401 Turnpike Road is expected to eventually bring a total of 168 units to the area, Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority's director of development, Kathy Warren, said.
"Now all of the rundown housing in the Midtown corridor will be replaced with well-designed, sustainable communities," Warren said.
The City Council is expected to take up the project Oct. 14.
The Hamilton Place Apartments would be located down the road from the site of the former Jeffry Wilson housing complex, where the housing authority is using a $20 million federal grant to build a mix of residential and retail units.
Hamilton Place is expected to bring an estimated $181,000 in real estate taxes into the city a year, Warren said. And housing for low-income residents is a critical need in the city. Over the past decade, Portsmouth has eliminated 2,915 low-income units on the sites of the former Ida Barbour, Washington Park, Fairwood Homes, Howard Homes, Jeffry Wilson and Chase View communities. Only 1,102 have been replaced, Warren said.
City staff did not support the application for Hamilton Place, because it did not call for mixed-use development, residents from a range of incomes and the creation of home ownership as outlined in the city's Comprehensive Plan.
But Warren said that PRHA had to honor an agreement it made with the Virginia Housing Development Authority. In 2006, PRHA approached the owner of the Chase View apartments, SunTrust Bank, to acquire the property, which had become rundown.
VHDA approved the demolition of the units, provided that PRHA rebuild housing for low-income residents. Warren said that Hamilton Place would be run by PRHA and that residents would be subject to strict requirements.
She anticipated most residents would be working, disabled, elderly, or engaged in PRHA programs. The community also would have a "one-strike, you're out" policy for crimes and other activities.
Patty Reinhold, coordinator of the Kingman Heights, Grove Park, Westhaven neighborhood watch, told the commission she and other watch members supported the Hamilton Place project.
She said police officers had told her that projects managed and regulated by PRHA result in far fewer calls for service and much lower crimes rates.
"Our city has made great gains in its redevelopment," Reinhold said. "We are attracting more professionals, educators, law enforcement, firefighters, blue collar workers and people from all facets of income-producing, revenue-generating positions."
Jen McCaffery, (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
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change the name
That name even sounds trashy...Hamilton Place? That name sounds ancient, come on Portsmouth.
At least name it something attractive like Chesapeake and Virginia Beach do to attract more well-rounded citizens instead of trouble makers.
Don't put an income restriction on it like just about every other Portsmouth apartment does like say a $2,750/month max income to rent there. No, Im not saying low-income is bad, just make it available to everyone, not a select few people, and offer great amenities like a nice pool, workout center, washer/dryer included in some units, gas fireplaces in some units, etc.
windsor chase
Why not combine the names of both of the bad projects on that site? How about calling it Windsor Chase? Does anybody remember Winsor Homes?
Chase View?
Is that what they renamed Howard Homes just before they tore it down? If so- they're going to replace it with more apartments for designated for low income individuals? Something to keep in mind- history does repeat itself!