You may have noticed the fencing around the final set of 2-story Allen Wilson Terrace buildings along Commerce Drive and West Trinity Place.

Decatur Planning Director Amanda Thompson confirms that the Decatur Housing Authority will demolish these units.  City Manager Peggy Merriss says the demolition will occur after Phase III occupancy along Electric Ave is completed and noted that after the demolition “the DHA will market the land as a private housing development opportunity”.

This is in-line with the previous published plans for the development, which noted the eventual demolition of these final older units and “developing market rate housing along that side of the site”.  With the occupancy of Phase III, the DHA has replaced the original 288 units at Allen Wilson Terrace on a smaller parcel of land, and notes on its website,  “An important part of that [plan] is the use of approximately one-third of the site, the north end, for a potential condo development of approximately 150 units, some of which would be life cycle units.  The proceeds from the sale of this land will help fund the building of the new public housing units.”

As construction/demolition continues at Allen Wilson Terrace, I found these renderings from the latest Decatur Focus a good reminder of what’s left to be built…

Phase III is currently under construction along Electric Avenue…I believe I posted a pic of that work recently.  Additionally, according to the Focus…

The Decatur Housing Authority has been selected by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to receive an allocation of Low Income Housing Tax Credits for Allen Wilson Phase III. In Phase III, the DHA will build the final 71 affordable units, with a completion date of December 2013, and move the Allen Wilson Terrace families into the new units. The plan then calls for demolishing the old units along Trinity and developing market rate housing along that side of the site.

According to The Decatur Minute, construction of the Oliver House along Commerce Drive is now complete and seniors are moving in. The building includes 80 units.

With the first two phases of the redevelopment of Allen Wilson Terrace now complete, the final, construction of the third phase of 71 units of family housing could begin as early as January 2013, dependent on funding.

In related news, you may have noticed the blurb in the recent Decatur Focus that the Oliver House is looking for book donations and volunteer assistance with its new library…

The new building includes a library but they need books to fill the shelves. If you have gently used books to donate for the library in the Oliver House or if you have a library background and would be willing to help create and organize this new library, please contact Melvin Whitlock, resident services supervisor, 404-373-4491 ext. 12, or mlw@decaturha.org, to sign up to volunteer or to make arrangements to drop off books.

The Champion newspaper has a nice article this week on Decatur public housing residents moving into the first completed phase of the new Allen Wilson apartments.  A blurb for you…

After 70 years of housing some of Decatur’s lower income residents, the Allen Wilson Terrace complex is being rebuilt. Last month, residents filled the 40 units of the first phase of the construction which replaces a complex that was in disrepair, even after major upgrades beginning in 1970. The new construction consists of two, three-story buildings with one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Two-story townhouses top a ground floor consisting of flats.

“It’s beautiful,” Ferrell said of her new townhouse. “Nobody’s ever lived here before.”

Ferrell said she can breathe easier in the new building and it has abundant natural lighting. And it has a designated place for a washer and dryer, unlike her old apartment, which had the laundry machines in the kitchen.

“I thank God for it,” Ferrell said. “It’s a wonderful blessing.”

When you think of the Decatur Housing Authority, do you think of Starship?  Apparently you’re not the only one.

Also if you’re interested, the floor plans for the new “Phase 1″ buildings currently going up at Allen Wilson Terrace are now online.