Renovations to Historic Ponce Apartments Set for September
Owners of the building say no residents will be displaced during the renovations
Photos
A historic building on Ponce de Leon Avenue is slated to get a much-needed facelift.
After years of empty promises and lack of money, the nine-story building on the corner of Ponce de Leon Avenue and N. Highland Avenue was finally purchased by a Maine-based real estate company, and renovations are set to begin in September.
Evergreen Partners Housing, a Portland, Maine-based real estate investment firm, closed on the deal on August 7, a company spokesman told Patch. Renovations are set to begin sometime in mid-to-late September.
Both the exterior and the interior of the building located at 1050 Ponce de Leon Ave. will be restored, but the historic components of the structure will be preserved. Plans to refurbish the facade of the building have already been approved by the Atlanta Preservation Group.
New flooring, appliances, cabinets, windows, lighting, doors and bathroom and kitchen fixtures will be installed in the apartments. More amenities including a wellness center, computer center, fitness center and an activity area will be added in the building, which will remain Section 8 housing after the renovation.
It will cost about $55,000 to renovate each unit, according to the spokesman. Renovating the apartments alone will cost around $11 million.
No residents will be displaced during the renovations, the spokesman said. Crews will renovate vacant units first and move residents into updated apartments when they are completed.
The spokesman said crews will have little to no impact on traffic patterns along N. Highland Avenue and Ponce de Leon. Work on the exterior of the building will include cleaning and touch-ups, but no major exterior renovations are planned.
Financial terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed but in 2009, the property was assessed at $8.16 million.
Evergreen tried to purchase the building last year, but failed to receive the tax credits from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs needed to complete the deal.
But earlier this year, the state awarded the tax credits to the real estate company, which helped push the deal forward.
The brick building, formerly known as "The 750,” was constructed by a real estate firm owned by Asa G. Candler Jr. — the son of the Coca-Cola mogul Asa Candler Sr. — and opened in 1925 as a luxury apartment complex.
Years later it was converted into a 400-room hotel and renamed Briarcliff Hotel.
Today, the 200-unit apartment building known as Briarcliff Summit provides Section 8 housing to the elderly.
The building is falling apart inside and out. Crime and drug use is a constant issue in the area and the apartment homes are outdated and in desperate need of repair.
What do you think of the plan to renovate Briarcliff Summit? Tell us in the comments!
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Laura Day Calk
8:59 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
Long overdue. I have delivered Meals on Wheels here for 10 years. These residents deserve an upgrade for sure. The beauty of the facade is a huge contrast to the despair within.
John Wolfinger
9:12 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
This is news that I have been hoping to see for at least three years now. This represents one of the most significant ventures in our neighborhood in many years. This ranks up there along with the enactment of the neighborhood commercial zoning changes a few years ago as a positive change for VaHi. This will also be a major publc safety enhancement also.
Jena Anton
10:32 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
Can you please talk more about why this will result in public safety enhancement? I'm just genuinely curious. Thank you.
Anna Smith
1:30 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
Although I'm happy that this historic building will get some much-needed renovation; I too am curious as to how this interior makeover will lessen people from doing drugs and breaking into our cars and houses.
Kiersten Feldman
10:22 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
I'm very happy for the renovations and what it will bring to the area. However slightly disappointed that it will continue as section 8 housing. This area could benefit from luxury high rises.
R Dale
1:13 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
I find it interesting that this article says that the renovation should cost 11 million dollars, since the records clearly state that the city council approved a proposed renovation budget of $28 million dollars on July 06, 2010. Where does all the other money go?
Tammy
1:31 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
It is important to keep a varied demographic in the city. I applaud the developer for keeping it section 8. This building offers good access to transit and shopping which is what many of the tenants need. As for enhancing public safely, read this and you will understand:
http://clatl.com/atlanta/ponce-gem-may-be-restored/Content?oid=1257872
Patch
10:35 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
why is it important? It is important to you, and that is your opinion, but not to me...
The developer kept it section 8 to get the government (tax-payer backed) financing. They did not keep this property section 8 out of goodwill. All section 8 does it create slums and slumlords, who get guarnteed rent checks from the govt. The people living in these properties have little to no chance to succeed. Is that the right approach? Just look at Boulevard, south of Ponce. The better option would be to get rid of these section 8 only properties and put these people on vouchers, so that poverty does not become so concentrated.
Rusty
1:27 pm on Monday, October 1, 2012
The section8 thing is definitely tricky. I think there are better alternatives for section8 mere blocks away. This historic building should be renewed and redeveloped to maintain its amazing architecture and story while making it attractive to urban dwellers. It sounds like its getting a patch job that will do nothing but keep it from being condemned. Sad.
With City Hall East development underway, there is great potential to clean up Ponce and bring residents who will contribute in a positive way to the community. I value a varied demographic but that does not include criminals and drug addicts. The location is completely inappropriate for residents who cannot drive or, worse, suffer from physical or mental handicap. Both Ponce and N. Highland are incredibly busy roads and the sidewalks are narrow and dangerous. Furthermore, the city demonstrated its complete lack of any sense by building Springdale Park Elementary a block away. Ponce being the only thoroughfare from the Decatur area to Midtown means this is now just pedestrian fatality waiting to happen including the children and families trying to get to school.
That corner is awful with regards to traffic and its a terrible place to rely on public transit. Once again, there are so many vacant buildings in the immediate vicinity that do not have such rich history as this. You can't please everyone so I suppose this one leaves me out.
I agree that government support should be individualized, not this
John Wolfinger
1:47 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
Jena,
The public safety concerns are the fact that there are no locks on the exterior doors and the building is open to whomever wanders in from PDL Avenue. Also the adjacent parking garage has become a major homeless shelter without any security monitoring. Addressing these two areas will make a huge difference in the safety both for the Briarcliff Summit residents and nearby residents.
John Wolfinger
1:53 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
Keeping the building as section 8 housing was a major factor in securing financing for the purchase of the building. Evergreen has lots of experience with section 8 housing and knows how to properly screen applicants. There are lots of decent, honest and deserving folks who are on section 8 rolls who will be appreciable of a safe, clean and well managed place to live.
Patferguson
9:22 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012
All improvements to our old structures are greatly appreciated. I grew up admiring this building and am very glad to see good things happen for the building and the residents.