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June
22, 2005
Mayor
Unveils New Identity for HOPE VI Project
‘Liberty Green’ evokes community’s past, future
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LOUISVILLE, KY
– Mayor Jerry Abramson unveiled a new identity for the emerging
community on the site of the former Clarksdale housing development.
Liberty Green is the new name for the $233 million, mixed-income
development under construction that will replace the 1940s-era
public housing barracks.
The name for the new development is drawn from Liberty Street,
the roadway that cuts through the center of the six-block area
on the eastern edge of downtown Louisville. The roadway was originally
called Green Street because it was a grassy areawhere horses came
to pasture. The name was changed officially in 1918 to Liberty
Street, when the community voiced its new patriotic fervor after
World War I.
“Liberty Green reflects both the heritage of the past and
our hope for the future,” Abramson said. “With a mix
of housing and design options, this neighborhood will give freedom
of choice to people who previously had little choice about the
place they called home.”
Construction work on Liberty Green, which began late last year,
is on schedule with the first housing units to be available for
occupancy by March 2006, said Tim Barry, executive director of
the Louisville Metro Housing Authority. The development, which
will include 500 apartments and 200 homes and condos, is scheduled
for completion in 2009.
Interest in the development has been robust with more than 60
people have expressed interest and would like to be contacted
when units are available, Barry said.
General
highlights of Liberty Green development
Budget total – $233 million
(a mix of public and private funds)
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Phase
I: $140 million (4-block area bounded by Jefferson, Jackson,
Muhammad Ali and Clay)
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Phase
II: $93 million (2-block area bounded by Jefferson, Clay, Muhammad
Ali and Shelby)
Projected
economic impact of construction
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To
date, produced 200 additional jobs, paying nearly $6
million in wages
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Life of project, 2,883 total jobs; 1,433 direct impact
(jobs)*
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$85
million in total payroll; $42 million direct impact
(payroll)
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$8.1 million in state/local tax revenues; $5.2 million
state, $2.9 million local
*Direct effects refer to on-site activity
attributable to actual spending funded through the Liberty
Green project itself. The additional effects that produce
the total jobs, wages, output and taxes are the result
of the spin-off or multiplier effects.
Liberty
Green construction status
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Phase I relocation completed (Phase II relocation complete
by end of 2005)
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Phase I demolition completed (Phase II demolition complete
by mid to late 2006)
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Phase I construction began June 2005 with completion
scheduled for fall 2008 (Phase II construction starts
fall 2006 and completed by 2009)
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Phase
I occupancy begins March 2006
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Leased apartments and town homes: $425 – $850 monthly
(based on income)
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Market-rate ownership homes and condominiums: $110,000
- $250,000
Apartments
and town home amenities
Includes, but is not limited to: wall-to-wall carpeting,
central air, cultured marble vanity top, dishwasher, garbage
disposal, washer dryer hookups, 9’ ceilings, internal
wiring, some porches and ceiling fans, on-site management
office.
Energy
Star
The Energy Star designation means than all constructed
buildings and units are 30 percent more efficient than
required by building codes, resulting in dramatic savings
in energy costs for consumers who lease or purchase homes.
Energy Star features include higher levels of insulation,
high efficiency heating and cooling, energy efficient
windows and enhanced ductwork (less drafty).
Project
Partners
Residents, Louisville Metro Housing Authority (LMHA), U.S.
Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, Louisville Metro
Government, housing developer partners, private lenders
and investors.
LMHA
Developer Partners
On-Site: The Community Builders, Inc.
Off-Site: New Directions Housing Corporation and The Housing
Partnership Inc.
Liberty
Green HOPE VI Goal
To develop a mixed-income community with heightened livability
for residents, reintegrate the site into the fabric of adjoining
neighborhoods, and reduce the negative effects of concentrations
of low-income families in one tightly constrained area.
Neighborhood
Design
Urban Design Associates crafted the master plan, building
on the historic character of Louisville, using a mix of
attractive housing types that will not distinguish or indicate
the income of the residents. The new community will
include street improvements, parks and commercial development
to serve residents.
Programs
and support for residents
Four case managers were hired; programs offered include,
but are not limited to: computer training and job placement,
GED, home ownership counseling, financial skills, construction
training program, scholarship and Youth IDA program.
Clarksdale
background
A 65-year old public housing development was comprised of
713 dwelling units and 15 non-dwelling units.
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