Orange Avenue

Redevelopment of the Former Orange Avenue Apartments (200 units, built 1972)
Columbia Gardens at South City Phases 1 & 2

THA solicited a developer partner in 2017 to master plan and redevelop new affordable units on the 28-acre property. Columbia Residential (Atlanta) was selected.

The Master Plan was completed after 8 months of community and resident input. THA's Section 18 Demolition & Disposition application was approved in June of 2021. THA spent just over $5M of CFP funds on relocation, abatement and demolition of the 29 acre site.

In 2022, construction began on Phase 1 of the four phased redevelopment. Florida Housing awarded low interest State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) funds and 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), and Leon County's Housing Finance Authority provided bond funding. Total development cost: $37.5M.

Phase 1 is 130 units; made up of 1,2, and 3-bedroom units for households at no more than 60%AMI. The property has 62 PBVs.

The following year, Phase 2 was awarded 9% tax credits. Phase 2 is 160 units of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units. The property is mixed-income utilizing 128 PBVs. Thirty-two of the units are at market rate. The total development cost was $45.1M

Columbia Gardens at South City Phase 3 (100 units Senior)
The Senior facility was slated to be the first phase for redevelopment of the Orange Avenue Apartments. Unfortunately, it has not been in funding range to receive tax credits from FHFC. THA will continue to submit an application for funding in all available RFP application cycles. There is a critical need for affordable housing, especially amongst seniors (62+).

Each year the number of units may change depending on what works for the funding application and what's financially feasible for the partnership.

The partnership will be submitting a 'Permit-Ready' application in this year's Florida Housing application cycle. FHFC is providing bonus points for submissions that include projects that are ready to proceed.