Florida Construction News staff writer
Pike Construction Services has broken ground on Grove Manor Phase II, a significant affordable housing redevelopment project in Lake Wales. The project includes 78 new affordable family housing units serving households at a range of income levels.“We are honored to partner with Smith & Henzy Affordable Group, Gallo Herbert Architects and all project stakeholders on this important community project,” the company said in a statement.
The long-awaited project is part of a multi-phased master plan on 24.7 acres of land that currently contain some 21 of the 69 existing single-story duplexes. Aging units will be replaced by seven two-story and three-story apartment buildings with a total of 140 units. The completed project is expected to include 308 dwelling units.
“The Keystone Project that connects Downtown to the Northwest Neighborhood,” said City Manager James Slaton, adding that “the city is beyond excited to see this long-awaited project come to fruition.”Redeveloping the site was one of the goals set in the Lake Wales Connected plan, which called for the city to “partner with the Housing Authority to produce construction-ready design drawings for Grove Manor redevelopment as a walkable, mixed-income neighborhood.”
The initial phase will include four apartment buildings along with associated parking and a clubhouse that will serve the future phases. The four buildings will include a total of 78 units.
Each of the three phases being constructed under a contract with the Lake Wales Housing Authority will include two-story and three-story multifamily buildings with a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. According to the staff report prepared for the commission, “phases 2 and 3 may include a variety of housing types.”
The fourth phase is being reserved for the Lake Wales CRA, which is expected to consider partnering with a private developer to create single-family homes and cottages.
