Augusta breaks ground on affordable housing apartment The Lenox

AUGUSTA, Ga (WJBF) – Breaking ground on the latest redevelopment effort in Laney Walker Bethlehem and people are talking.

“We’re talking about affordable housing, we’re talking about main street development, we’re talking about the continuation of the Laney Walker Bethlehem revitalization project. A lot of people said it couldn’t happen, it wouldn’t happen, and here we are,” said Augusta Housing and development Director Hawthorne Welcher

Here is what is called the Lenox, emphasis on the second syllable, named after the historic Augusta theater.

A $17.5 million-dollar, 64 rental unit development for those making $55,000 a year or less.

“We’re giving folks the opportunity to live in the middle of one of the most exciting developments in the city. This is our opportunity to build a true mixed income community through low-income apartments,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson.

“Not only will it be apartments, it’s going to be retail at the bottom. So it’s something new that’s coming to the community that we need,” said Commissioner Francine Scott.

Not only will the four-story structure change the skyline of Laney Walker, having more residents helps the city’s effort to bring a grocery store to an area that is called a food desert.

“It definitely is good, it definitely shows the diversification, it definitely shows the continuity of where we believe the grocery will be,” said Welcher.

Augusta providing a $600k loan to the developers to make the project happen as well as a low-cost long-term lease of the site.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.