The Plaza at Centennial Hill Apartments in High Demand
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What was once a crime-ridden public housing community downtown is now a 22 million dollar housing development complete with town homes and apartments.
Victor Tulane Court was demolished in in 2012 and replaced with the Plaza at Centennial Hill and now the latter is in high demand.
The former Victor Tulane Court has been The Plaza at Centennial Hill for a little more than a year and a half. And it appears the new development is the place to be. Unlike Tulane Court, residents say the plaza is a peaceful place to live.
“Before this was even made, we was already living out here but the way this place was before these were built, it was terrible but now it’s quiet and non-violent,” says resident Gerard MccGree.
Montgomery City Councilman Tracy Larkin says he believes he knows why the Plaza at Centennial Hill hasn’t fallen victim to crime and trouble, like the former Tulane Court.
“We have in our district now, we have a new campaign that we’re starting called ‘Love Where You Live.’ And that’s what we’re talking about, having community pride and neighborhood pride. When people love where they live, they pamper where they live.”
City officials are hoping the next phase of the Plaza, will be just as successful as the first. Evette Hester, the Executive Director of the Montgomery Housing Authority, says construction will begin in the next week or two.
“Construction will take about 18 months and at the end of construction, we’ll have 129 new apartments and town homes,” she says.
And there should be no problem trying to fill the new units, as there are 2800 families currently on a waiting list for them. But not just anyone can move in, Councilman Larkin tells us there is a screening process and officials are highly selective of who can rent the properties. Something resident Gerard MccGree says has made a difference.
“I guess because of the rent folks and how they is and how strict they is but they’re nice.”
What is also making a difference is the fact that management is ON the property there so they’re always aware of what’s going on.
The Plaza at Centennial Hill is a public/private partnership but it’s not just public housing. The Plaza also serves eligible families earning 60 percent or less of the area’s Median Income.
