On Tuesday, the Phenix City Housing Authority demonstrated it is committed to tearing down Riverview Apartments.

The housing authority board unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday night approving the revitalization of Riverview, which would include the demolition of the current public housing units and rebuilding of newer apartments, as part of the city's riverfront redevelopment plans.

"It really gets us off the discussion phase and into the action phase," board member Jim Lynn said. "It's a good step. It's not a superficial thing."

Lynn said that other investors in the riverfront development -- including a hotel, restaurants, businesses and local colleges -- have been asking for assurance that Riverview will be changed.

"At each turn, everybody is saying, 'Well, what about Riverview?' " Lynn said. "If we give folks an official statement of intent, people will know the direction the Housing Authority is going in."

Laurel Blackwell, president of Chattahoochee Valley Community College, has said the college wants to expand with a downtown campus, but only if the revitalization of Riverview and the redevelopment plans for downtown go through.

"This is a very positive action. I'm very excited," she said Wednesday about the board's action. "This indicates that we're moving toward an environment that would make us invest in the riverfront."

Judy Hare, Housing Authority executive director, said the board has always been in favor of the redevelopment plans.

"The residents of Riverview -- if their status as far as their living conditions can be elevated, and the city can benefit, who can be against something like that?" she asked. However, Hare said anything the Housing Authority wants must be approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Sensitive subject

The revitalization of Riverview has been a touchy subject over the last year, as the city and the private East Alabama Riverfront Development look at the overall plan for Phenix City's redevelopment. The revitalization would displace the remaining residents in Riverview's 390 apartments and cost about $35 million, but in the end, the public housing residents would have brand-new, modern apartments for the same price they are currently paying.

The approved resolution states the revitalization plans would include almost complete demolition of the current apartments and construction of mixed-income residential homes, senior citizen housing and educational and recreational facilities.

"We just needed to establish a bottom line for the future in accordance with what the city wants to do and what EARD is doing," said Kellon Shepard, chairman of the Housing Authority board.

Sammy Howard, chairman of the development group, said he thought the move would jump-start the redevelopment and that some development on the riverfront will begin this year, as long as the Housing Authority stays committed to tearing down Riverview.

The resolution also gives Hare the authority to work with the city and East Alabama Riverfront Development on some of the steps before revitalization can begin, including:

• Exploring the Housing Authority investments and the sale of property;
• Seeking alternative ways to provide housing to those displaced during the rebuilding;
• Supporting the preparation of a HOPE VI federal housing grant application for next fiscal year, while exploring other income possibilities.

"You have to apply, or you won't get it," she said. "But there always has to be another plan. You look at what can we do if we don't get this."