The long-troubled Valley Homes complex in Lincoln Heights can be redeveloped if the village's Department of Planning and Zoning approves of a planned unit development plan submitted by Model Property Management (Model Group) on August 25.
Valley Homes, a 29-acre complex consisting of 55 buildings, was built as temporary housing in the 1941 for workers at the Wright Aeronautical Plant, now the GE Aircraft Engines plant in Evendale.
The heavily blighted complex, currently housing around 122 residents – mostly senior citizens, has been a resident-owned cooperative since 1954.
In 2005, the property fell into receivership, with the utilities turned off, garbage not collected, taxes unpaid, and maintenance deferred.
The complex nearly closed in 2006, but a court appointed Maureen Wood of Northside-based Urban Village Developers, LLC as receiver.
"A more permanent solution has to be found," Wood says. "Without a solution, quite a few people are going to be in a very difficult situation."
Task force appointed
In January 2007, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas judge Dennis Helmick appointed a task force, the Board of Valley Homes Mutual Housing Corporation (VHMHC).
Because of the many problems with the buildings, it became clear to the VHMHC that repairs would be far too costly.
A lack of funding was available for rehabilitation, and the buildings suffer from mold, asbestos, deteriorated water and sewer lines, and a lack of ADA compliance.
Courtyards in between became hotbeds of crime.
In May 2007, VHMHC sent out a request for proposals for the redevelopment, and, in January 2008, the Model Group emerged from the nine applicants as the only bidder with the capacity to complete the project.
VHMHC still owes over $200,000 to Duke Energy and the Greater Cincinnati Water Works, and the utilities on remain on only because the property is in receivership.
Redevelopment plan
Phase I of what will be called Villas of the Valley will include up to 69 senior cottages north of , to be made available to tenants over age 55 and under 60 percent of the area median income.
"It has in it what we wanted, which is senior homes," says Joyce Thacker, treasurer for the VHMHC board. "It's the first thing we wanted to do, taking care of the seniors. Then once we got the seniors taken care of, we wanted to take care of the rest of the population."
Each unit will have between one and two bedrooms and average around 1,000 square feet, with 20 percent of the units being ADA-compliant.
Current eligible residents of Valley Homes will be given first priority in the new cottages.
Rents for the new cottages will be between $508 and $548 per month, which includes utilities.
VHMHC will continue to own the Phase I land, but will sign a 35-year ground lease, at $1 per year, with Model Group subsidiary Villas of the Valley Limited Partnership for the two parcels of land north of Medosch Street.
The developer will own and manage the buildings during the 15-year --> --> --> (OHFA) tax credit compliance period, after which VHMHC will have the opportunity to purchase them.
If VHMHC declines to buy the buildings, ownership will revert to them following the 35-year lease period.
The financing package includes not only OHFA tax credits, but also federal HOME funds, Enterprise Foundation Green Funds, Hamilton County NSP funds, and bank loans.
"It's amazing they were able to secure financing in a difficult time," Wood says. "No one else has come up with anything to date as an alternative."
But to make the Phase I financing package complete, the rezoning needs to be approved within the next two months to attract Tax Credit Assistance Program funding from the American Reinvestment & Recovery Act of 2009.
If the rezoning is approved, ground for Phase I could be broken in October and the units could be ready for occupancy by the end of 2010.
There are currently 11 vacant buildings north of Medosch Street.
Future phases
Phase II will consist of 35 units and be available to people of all ages, as long as they meet the same income requirements.
Demolition for the second phase could begin in spring or summer of 2010, with completion in spring 2011.
A third phase is still under consideration.
Valley Homes photos courtesy of Joe Wessels, CinDaily.com
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Valley Homes redevelopment awaiting approval
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11 comments:
wow! cul-de-sacs! nothing like a good old fashing auto centric development to really get your blood pumping!
From the plan it looks like each cul-de-sac would be within walking distance to a bus line if there was one. Walking is good exercise.
Having grown up on a cul-de-sac, it was the best thing ever. Everybody knew each other and took care of each other, had street parties, played basket ball in the circle, kick the can, and tag football in the street, never worried about being run over, it was quiet. There were sidewalks that cut through to other streets, and on and on. Suburbia is already auto centric to begin with- would you prefer houses lining a busy thoroughfare where a bus could stop at every front door?. Have you ever lived on a bus line? or a through street? It is very noisy. Do you think they would be able to build an entire self supporting walkable town?
i have lived on a bus line - it does suck. i am not against communities or block parties or anything of that sort. i am more in favor of a pattern of development that favors a separation of public space from the street. i think that the country is so concerned with the backyard/frontyard typology that it is hard to get people to see anything besides that.
you could check out this site: http://www.cottagecompany.com/default.aspx that shows several different projects that illustrate this.
Nice use of the photos, Kevin. Good info, too.
Thanks again for asking to use the photos. It a nice courtesy not often extended (ahem, Dean of Cincinnati).
I grew up in these buildings and worked in the office several years later. I always wanted somthing better for the residents. I hope all the approvals go through so people I know and love that still live there can be safe and secure.
Re: culs-de-sac...this is what the residents wanted. And they preferred the culs-de-sac to be built off of Medosh instead of N Wayne because of crime issues, which have plagued the complex. Keep in mind that these are cottages for seniors.
BTW...the 78 bus does serve Medosh Street.
not every thing you read is true about this project. The condition of the building is the result of neglect by Maureen Wood. Second the developer never met with the owners and this is just white American stealing from African American" Again''' Who gives Land away for Thirty-five dollar? What make you think African American cannot improve their own property?
To the previous post: The conditions of these buildings could never be ONE person's fault. They were built 70 years ago as TEMPORARY housing, not designed for the use they have withstood. I mean seriously, even someone living in a single family brick home would need to have major improvements - especially with changing times.
My family has lived out there for 60 years
In response to the March 14 post:
Whoever left this post obviously has not only no connection to Valley Homes, but absolutely no concept of the circumstances. I worked maintenance at this complex in 2006 and by speaking with the residents, it is clear that Maureen Wood has been a major player in saving Valley Homes. The other major players are the residents themselves who successfully negotiated with developers for a redevelopment plan that would maintain their ownership of the property. When they put out a request for proposals, they got developers offering to buy their land. Knowing that losing ownership of the land would disenfranchise them, the residents successfully negotiated a plan that maintains their ownership and replaces the housing that, as the article correctly indicates, was built in the early 1940s as temporary housing. These buildings were dilapidated well before Maureen Wood took over as receiver and would likely be in much worse shape had Valley Homes remained under its former management.
I had an opportunity to share and visit with the residents of these homes and also experienced first hand the extent of the degrading conditions of the homes, before the redevelopment started. I was blessed to see the history behind the housing and to meet with Ms. Wood.
Coming from Kenya and working with disadvanteged groups in the slums, I only know to well how beurocracy, neglect of poor folks can do to people' morale.
I am back in Kenya and following the developments going on at V. HOME.
Keep up the good work reporting on this.
JAMES
Thank you, James.
Although I'm currently on hiatus, I just wanted to make sure that you knew that Phase I is already being filled and Phase II will likely begin next year.
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