ASHLAND —
Construction work will commence again at both Ashland Housing Authority sites in the coming weeks.
After a short hiatus this summer, the ongoing improvements the public housing agency has been undertaking since 2008 will continue. In the last four years the Housing Authority has spent more than $4 million on improvements out of an estimated $10 million it needs, said Director Rick Young.
According to Young, bids are expected back this month for a parking lot paving project at Scope Towers as well as hillside slippage repairs at DeBord Terrace.
The gravel parking lot at the corner of 32nd Street and Winchester Avenue, which the agency has owned since 1999, will paved, striped and a solar lighting system installed, said Young. The lot will contain 44 parking spaces that meet all city codes. It will also be landscaped.
The lighting system, which Young said may be the first of its kind in the city, will include LED bulbs and individual solar panels on each post. It is expected to save the agency approximately $50 a month on its electric bill.
The parking lot expected to cost approximately $150,000 and will be paid for out of the authority’s reserve funds. Young said the agency has more reserve funds than is required and wants to use them to improve the agency before the Department of Housing and Urban Development from takes them.
Young the authority used a similar move in 2010, when it used $315,000 to pay for some cosmetic repairs to the building. “It we hadn’t taken it out, HUD would have taken it back,” he said.
At DeBord Terrace, four porches and a sidewalk, damaged when a hillside slipped last May following heavy rains, will be repaired and a three foot keystone retaining wall installed around the base of the hill. A three foot chain-link fence will also be erected around it and a damaged sidewalk connecting the porches will be relocated and improved, said Young.
These repairs will be paid for in part with Federal Emergency Management Funds as well as state and about $40,000 in housing authority funds, said Young. “It’s going to look 100 percent better than it did originally,” he added.
Following these projects, the housing authority hopes to sign an energy performance contract to make efficiency improvements at both facilities. Young said the agency is looking at $1.5 million in improvements aimed at reducing electric and water use such as low-flow toilets and showerheads and low-energy lighting. “The savings will pay for what is done,” Young said, “the company we sign a contract with will garuntee the savings.”
“After that, we’re going to work on getting tax credits to build more apartments up at DeBord Terrace. Then we’re going to do handicap accessible apartments at Scope Towers,” he added.
CARRIE STAMBAUGH can be reached at cstambaugh@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.
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