BY ERIN SIMPSON
Staff Writer

Last week was a big week for Phenix City's riverfront development plans.

The Phenix City Housing Authority unanimously approved the demolition of some units in the Riverview Apartments public housing complex, a key part of the downtown design, and the Downtown Redevelopment Authority, a city government group that is purchasing land for the riverfront development, got one more landowner to sell a desired piece of downtown property.

"Everybody seems to be waiting on Riverview," said Jim Lynn, a Housing Authority board member. "It's a great step forward. We're doing all we can."

The board approved the demolition of 70 units in the so-called "triangle" of Riverview, the 700 and 800 blocks of the public housing units located from 16th Street south to 14th Street.

"I think after all this discussion over the last few months, people have come together in a general way on goals for Riverview," Lynn said. "The Housing Authority is on the record for revitalizing all of Riverview except the recently renovated apartments."

The approval is based on acceptance by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which controls all public housing across the nation. Part of their approval will be plans to relocate the 50 families in the triangle, though Lynn said Judy Hare, housing authority executive director, said there were enough vacancies in the complex to accommodate the families.

Hare was out of town this week and could not be reached for comment.

The demolition and reconstruction of Riverview is a major part of the city's Downtown/Riverfront District Plan, a $273.5 million redevelopment that covers 141 acres from just south of the Dillingham Street Bridge to north of the 14th Street Bridge at Riverview.

Future development plans

The city's Downtown Redevelopment Authority is trying to buy pieces of property on the redevelopment tracts and has made offers to four owners of five pieces of property north of the old 14th Street Bridge.

"The Salvation Army has agreed to our offer, and they are in the process of signing it," said J.W. Brannen, chairman of the development authority. The authority had offered to pay the Salvation Army $104,500 for the property, located on 15th Street, between Second and Third avenues. The authority will be using money from the $1 million the city set aside in this year's budget for riverfront property acquisitions.

Another piece of property, located on Second Avenue across from 15th Street and owned by Henry Dan Tillery, is also under contract with the authority for $11,500.

Two other property owners have not yet agreed to sell: Carl J. Spear was offered $90,300 for two pieces of property, 200 and 201 14th Street, and Frederick Sibary was offered $74,000 for his land at 1500 Third Ave.

Brannen said he plans to call the two after the Salvation Army deal is finalized. If a deal cannot be reached, the city could look at taking the property through eminent domain, a process the government can use to take land for economic development purposes and pay landowners the fair market value of the property. Brannen has said that would be the last option for the city, but is being considered.

The next land the authority is looking at are the two parcels located between the 13th and 14th street bridges. Brannen said the City Council plans to pass a resolution asking the authority to make offers on those pieces next. "They've said they want us to go ahead and pursue it," he said.

Those properties, along with the ones the authority is already looking at and the Housing Authority's triangle, make up the section of the riverfront development plans that is being considered for college campuses. Troy State University and Chattahoochee Valley Community College have both said they are interested in having satellite campuses downtown.

But that would be awhile. Lynn said it may take up to a year for HUD to approve the demolition and relocation of the families from the triangle. "I'd love for it to happen within a week," he said. "We're all ready to see this move more quickly."

Brannen said the old public housing needs to be torn down, and he thinks businesses will follow as soon as that happens. "I'm looking forward to seeing it begin. That's blight; that's all that's down there," he said. "I hope by then we have resolved our property acquisitions on the north side of the bridge."