Affordable housing coming to central Augusta with groundbreaking for The Lenox

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A $17.5 million affordable housing development on Laney Walker Boulevard is one step closer to being a reality.

Nearly a year after the plans were initially announced, the groundbreaking for The Lenox was set for 11 a.m. on Thursday.

The project will address Augusta’s need for more affordable housing in the downtown and Laney Walker areas.

“It’s amazing simply because we do have a great need for more affordable housing in the city of Augusta and especially this community. So, this is the first day of any other great days to come,” said Augusta District 1 Commissioner Jordan Johnson.

The goal is for more developments like the Lenox to come later on.

“It’s a model that can be transcended to other communities across the county as Augusta, Georgia leadership sees fit. So we want to be sure that this is a model in a best practice not only for Augusta, Georgia and the CSRA but for the region and the country as well,” said Hawthorne Welcher Jr., Augusta Director of the Housing and Community Development Department.

The Lenox will be restricted to renters who earn 30% to 80% of the area’s median income.

Johnson said: “This housing is built around an idea of dignity and decency. These housing units will be affordable and they will be quality and they will provide a second chance or a better opportunity for people who perhaps may be living with a family member, living in a shelter, living somewhere that is not quality and affordable.”

The median income in the area is around $50,000, where around 93,000 households in Augusta fall into.

This development will be 64 units, but for leaders in the area, it’s more than just rooms.

“It immediately brings on 64 units of affordability. But not only 64 units of affordability, but it also brings in my opinion four to 5000 square feet of commercial space which creates jobs,” said Welcher.

Chris Johnson, the chairman of the Augusta Land Bank, said: “We’ve got to start somewhere and those 64 will certainly not accomplish the goal. It is certainly a great start and it is a great example of what could be done in other places.”

The neighborhood where The Lenox is being built has had a significant impact in Augusta’s Black history.

The property is named after the former Lenox Theater, a beloved 1921 historic venue that was damaged by fire and eventually torn down in the late 1970s.

The final product will be a four-story building with 25 one-bedroom units and 39 two-bedroom units.

In order to get to the final product means construction.

“Oh, lord. Prepare for the loud construction workers,” said Tramonay Freeman, who lives across the street from the project. “There’s been a lot of shaking of the house.”

Freeman says the development is worth it, though.

“Once I read up on what it was gonna be, I felt like it was something that was gonna be good for the area,” said Freeman.

Freeman says she’s excited to see the project come full circle because she moved in two years ago when the land was overgrown and now excited for what’s to come.

“Hoping to see a thriving, growing community of housing as well as businesses,” she said. “So, just hoping to see the growth in take it take it off.”

Several units will be especially suited for residents with physical, vision and hearing disabilities.

All units will feature floor plans with plenty of storage and modern kitchens.

They will have contemporary finishes, including quality cabinetry and luxury vinyl tile flooring.

Each apartment will also have a washer/dryer hookup.

The ground level will also provide an area for a business to come in and either house offices or provide a local shop.

Community amenities include a multipurpose room with kitchenette to offer a place for social gatherings, a central laundry, computer room, fitness center and rooftop terrace offering views of historic downtown Augusta.

Over $12 million in equity financing for the $17.5 million property resulted from state and federal tax credits from GA DCA.

Critical to the primary financing was local including a commitment by the city of Augusta to provide a $640,000 HOME loan to the project, in addition to a long-term lease provided by the Augusta Georgia Land Bank Authority at a nominal cost.

The Augusta Housing Authority issued a bond inducement resolution as well as a commitment letter to provide 20 Project Based Vouchers.

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