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It’s been four years in the making, but The Whitney condo development at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Mt. Vernon Avenue in the King Lincoln District is about to start construction later this summer. Their new sales office is also opening soon in the Gateway Building directly across the street from the Lincoln Theatre. We sat down with Tony Hutchins to catch up on the project and get an overview of what they’re going to be building over the course of the next year.
Walker: Hi Tony! Thanks for taking the time today to share some information with us. Can you first tell us a bit about the history of the project?
Tony: Sure. There was an apartment complex previously in that location that became problematic. Some of it had become vacant, and some of the problems dealt with crime and drug issues, so the city went through the steps to take it down. They then did an RFQ/RFP process to find a new developer for the site.
The Whitney-Young Collaborative is an organization that is a local graduate chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. The development corps of Shiloh and Trinity are involved in the project, and Second Baptist development corp is an ex officio member.
So, Second Baptist, Trinity and Shiloh own about 60 parcels in the neighborhood, but they’ve had problems, as have a lot of non-profits, in putting together a total development team. So we looked at this as an opportunity to collaborate and bring in the collective knowledge of these various entities. Working on this particular project is helping to build these relationships, so that after we’ve got this one project completed, we can easily move on to some of those other sites.
Walker: Just to clarify, these are all sites within the King Lincoln neighborhood?
Tony: Yes, within the district. They are scattered around, some are single-unit parcels, and some are very narrow sites that might not be buildable under today’s code. Second Baptist owns almost a whole block on 17th Street, so that should be very compatible for whatever they might want to do over there.
So what we’re saying is that we’ll respond to the city’s desire to build these projects to the specs that they put out and the high standards that they have with fitting into the neighborhood.
I’ve done non-profit work for about 24 years, and I came on board with this project after the RFQ/RFP process. They asked me if I could sort of quarterback this project. Seeing that we were so invested in the community, and based on the quality that both the city and the community wanted, I didn’t have a problem putting my name on it.
So that’s been the process so far, and that all started about four years ago.
Walker: Yeah, I recall reading a Dispatch article about the project from a year and a half ago, so I assumed that the project fell into hiatus after awhile.
Tony: Well, it’s interesting working with government. We did a lot of pre-development, we went back and forth trying to get a design that was going to work, and a good footprint that would fit the site. It took us about a year or so to get all of those pieces laid out. We brought on a general contractor, an architect, and an engineer, and then after that first year we started putting our financing together and developing the actual building plan. Since it was a pre-existing site we also had to do the core samples and environmental review. So we’ve always had work going on.
As the process moved along, we started putting together all of the funding, which had to be done creatively to put it mildly, to be able to pull this thing off with the affordable price points that we wanted to hit.
We did have some issues trying to figure out how to finalize our design with the city, because along the way we discovered some infrastructure problems that required some design modifications. The city stepped up and said they’d take care of one of the major infrastructure issues, which is the water pressure. We can’t get a building permit until we make sure we have water service sufficient for fire suppression as well as basic service. So that’s been somewhat of a delay.
And then for a period of time we had to scramble because our term sheets were issued before the banking crisis last year. One of our prospective partners got cold feet, so we had to go out and find additional funding to substitute with. We did that, and closed on our main construction loan in December. And now last week the city announced the bid for the water improvements. Once that starts we’re eligible for a building permit, and then we should be under construction.
Hopefully in the next 30 to 45 days you’ll see the water construction work. I think It’s a 30-day bid process, and then a 30-day review and award process . You should see activity on the water lines in the first part of August.
Walker: That was actually my next question; what sort of ground-breaking timeline you were shooting for.
Tony: Well, you know, working with churches and non-profits for 20-some years, I don’t do ground-breakings… I do ribbon-cuttings. Because you never know what you’re going to run into. Especially when you’re talking about building in an urban area.
Walker: Oh, I wasn’t really talking about a ground breaking ceremony, just curious as to when we’d see the actual construction starting.
Tony: Well, until we get all of our plans written off, we can’t start the construction. We don’t know exactly where the water lines will go. And like I said, that’s a process that’s just recently been completed. So once the city comes back to us, our engineer has to modify our plans and make sure everything is updated to match the water line design work.
But that’s all to the point where I can pretty safely say that we’re about ready to go. And it’s around a 10 to 15 month construction schedule. What we plan to do is build out all of the site and shells in one phase, and then build out the interiors as they’re sold. We’ll start with the smaller units facing Downtown along Hamilton, and then move to the larger units as it appears that’s where we have the most interest right now. Then we’ll circle around to the units along Mt. Vernon and Martin Luther King.
We’re still looking at 28 units total. Still looking at price points, with subsidies, starting at $159k and going up to around $259k. All units have upgrade packages as well. We designed our standard build-out to be a fairly high end product… quality baseboards, Peerless faucets, brick exteriors, ceramic tile, choice of three types of all-wooden cabinets… so I think it will be a product that will be attractive.
Walker: Are there any kinds of target demographics that you’re going after? Young professionals, retiring baby boomers, first time home buyers, empty nesters?
Tony: I think our main demographic are folks who can close on a loan. Hahaha!
Walker: Ha! So a nice mix of residents then?
Tony: Well, the reality is that it is a neighborhood that offers certain types of assistance and buyer subsidies. The project is 15-year tax abated. Buyers will be eligible for down payment assistance and first time buyer’s assistance. So I think in that way it will be very competitive with what is being offered in other parts of Columbus.
Walker: Is it safe to assume that the new sales office will be able to provide potential buyers with more information on these types of assistance programs?
Tony: Yes, our lead Realtor is Theresa Bland with Bland Realty and she will be doing meetings by appointment.
Walker: Can you tell us a little more about the various units and designs that make up the development?
For the Legacy I and Legacy II units we sort of took some of the feedback of some of our potential female buyers, young professionals and single moms. Those units have a 1-car attached garage and they can buy a second or third detached garage if they need the extra space. The larger units have two-car detached but also have a small outdoor grass area.
So you’ve got three basic floorplans to choose from, the Legacy I, Legacy II and Jewel, and within that, I don’t think there are more than 3 or 4 floorplans that are entirely the same.
The square footage ranges from around 1300 sqft up to nearly 1900 sqft, but we can’t include the lower level as livable square footage…
Walker: So the lower level is a basement space?
Tony: Well, it’s actually about 6 feet above grade, so they do have lower-level windows and natural lighting, and by code you can put sleeping quarters down there. There will be full-length basements in the Jewel, and the Legacy I and II will have slightly smaller basements due to the attached 1-car garage taking out some of the room to do them the full length of the home.
We’ll also have two banks of garages that you can buy, first-come first-served. So like I said, if you’ve got a one-car attached garage and want a second garage, you can buy one right behind your unit. Or even if you want to use it as a storage bay, the option is there.
I think that design-wise it will be very attractive. Our primary pull will be with folks who have an appetite for the Downtown area, and we think this will be a big push for the King Lincoln District. It should help bring some of the other housing options up in this neighborhood.
Walker: It’s great to have a mix of both older historic homes and quality new construction in this neighborhood. Other than this project, there currently isn’t a whole lot of available new construction to choose from.
That’s not very uncommon in urban areas. There’s just not a lot of dirt for new construction. One of the reasons this project was so attractive to us is that we could fit 28 units comfortably on one site, and that then gives us the synergy and attention that it takes make those single-unit sites in the neighborhood more attractive to build on. It gives us the ability to come up with better comps so that this works as a for-profit model and not just as a not-for-profit model. It helps to make some of the housing that needs to be improved become more attractive for redevelopment, and also makes some of the housing that, quite frankly, needs to be demolished to make way for other projects become more attractive.
We think it will be a good piece for the neighborhood.
Walker: The Whitney is in a great location right across the street from Mayme Moore Park and the King Arts Complex, which are great neighborhood amenities to have. But on the other side of the development site there are some properties that look a bit less than desirable. Do you own any of the other adjacent properties, or is the hope that someone else will redevelop them?
The church owns a couple of the properties on Hamilton, and we’ve been in discussion with some of the property owners on Mt. Vernon. And again, we think that once these go up it will bring attention to the area for potential buyers new buyers, code enforcement, and should also help to encourage absentee landlords to upgrade their properties. Shiloh owns several units on Hamilton, and we’ve talked to them about development, but it’s a matter of convincing both their development corps as well as their church membership that there’s a project there that’s viable. We’ve talked to them about maybe doing some senior housing in place of some of their less-than-desirable property on the west side of Hamilton.
And then on the north side of Mt. Vernon there are three property owners, and Shiloh has one parcel there as well. So once we get this moving, I think folks will be able to see the potential and we’ll have more buy-in. I think that if we can take care of about 50% of the less-than-desirable properties then it will really push along some of the other ones. And that will also allow the folks who are holding out for the big return to sell later on and make a little more money.
All we want to do is see the neighborhood improve. We think that being on the edge of an emerging area is a lot safer and a more beneficial business model than some of the more adventurous stuff that CHP and some other groups have been able to do over here.
So yeah, we understand there are some challenges, but on the other side, like you said, we have the Urban League, King Arts Complex, a wonderful park that people sometimes drive right by without fully appreciating until the summer jazz series comes along. And we’re a fairly stable area. You’ve got the Elijah Pierce homes that are nice, a lot of great homes along Hamilton Park that have been very nicely rehabbed, and a lot of property between Long and Broad that have been improved in the last 4 or 5 years.
Overall, we’re excited about the development. The reality with urban development is that it’s a tortoise and hare game. We’re moving forward, not as expeditiously as we had liked or anticipated, but we’ve always been able to make steps forward. But now it’s to the point where we can be under construction this summer, and then next summer be looking at new residents moving into the community.
Walker: We certainly look forward to watching the progress. Thanks again for taking the time to bring us up to speed today.
Tony: No problem.
More information can be found online at TheWhitney-Condos.com.
More of this and my “theatres don’t spur revitalization” theory is kaput. Hopefully they’ll also blow the dust off of the Monroe Cluster. Long needs more lovin’.
A couple quick points…
250K for a condo in King Lincoln? You could about buy half the neighborhood for that much.
For 250K, you better put in nicer fixtures than Peerless.
Lastly, don’t get me started on that rendering and making one large buildings look like a bunch of smaller buildings.
median sales prices in KLB are $37/sf, so technically you could only by 6,756 square feet of the neighborhood for $250,000.
Prices are rather high, considering that they’re closer to Mt Vernon which is not as nice as Long. Of course, if you’re willing to venture further east you can find some nice older homes for a good deal less, hence the whole series on inexpensive housing in KL.
Prices do seem a bit high all things considered, but from the looks of it they are not budget condos.
And wow $37/sf in KLD, I paid ~$150/sf in Grandview in the fall. Looks like you can get some great deals in the KLD!
Folks – Like we have all shared before – this neighborhood is a steal and changing fast. With $250K new condos – $15M in the KLD theater, the branding, the buzz, sustainability, NOBO on N 21rst steet, Poindexter being redeveloped by OSU East and all the great things on LONG Street are are 10 minutes on foot from High Street. This is probably th best neighborhood to invest in as a homeowner in OHIO. The downside is minimal and the upside is significant and this is not even considering the VALUE for your $s. The neighborhood still has some warts but BIG TIME changes are in the wind for anyone willing and smart enough to look. When young couples with kids are bying North of Borad and rehabbing and living in these houses because they want to be downtime and can’t afford GV or VV – these are powerful fundamentals. I still believe you will see decorative, pedestrain friendly street lamps that compliment the historic neighborhood from Long Street to MT Veronon in the near future i.e. N 22nd, N 21rst , N 20th right on over to Hamilton put in to deter crime and help boost the feeling of safety.
Motorist Says: 250K for a condo in King Lincoln? You could about buy half the neighborhood for that much.
While you can find some other huge beautiful rehabs in the area at similar pricepoints, I agree that $250k may be on the higher end for the neighborhood as a whole. That being said, I really don’t think it’s that bad of a deal for a 3-bedroom (fourth optional in the basement) 1600+ new build with a two-car garage and small back yard located a mile from the center of Downtown.
Many people complain that Downtown condo developments are too expensive and unaffordable, and I think these are a great counter to that, being located immediately adjacent to Downtown and starting at $160k for around 1400 square feet.
If you’d prefer something even cheaper and are willing to put some TLC into a project, the area is ripe for those types of developments as well. So even if this specific condo project isn’t for you, I think it adds a nice balance to a neighborhood that currently has very few “new build” options for sale.
futureman Says: And wow $37/sf in KLD, I paid ~$150/sf in Grandview in the fall. Looks like you can get some great deals in the KLD!
We clocked in at just under $40/sqft with our home, but we found quite a steal. I’ve seen a lot of other homes listed for sale for closer to $20/sqft but they’re in pretty rough shape and need a lot of rehab.
KingLincolnUrbanHipsterGayCouple Says: Folks – Like we have all shared before – this neighborhood is a steal and changing fast.
Agreed! Still a good time to buy right now while there are still plenty of deals on the market. :D
… and more good development still to come.
Folks who want to check the neighborhood should not miss the Sean Carney show at the Lincoln this coming weekend. Sean grew up in Columbus and is playing with local blues legend Gene Walker I believe.
Walker Says: I agree that $250k may be on the higher end for the neighborhood as a whole. That being said, I really don’t think it’s that bad of a deal for a 3-bedroom (fourth optional in the basement) 1600+ new build with a two-car garage and small back yard located a mile from the center of Downtown.
Just to add to this for the sake of comparison… $250k at Broad & High gets you a 946 sqft 1 br 1 ba flat. Not that one is better than the other. But I have heard plenty people complain about the steeper prices with luxury condos in the center of Downtown, and I feel like what the Whitney offers is a more affordable option for someone who still wants to live close to the core of the city.
Condos To Breathe New Life Into King-Lincoln District
By ANA JACKSON
Published: June 15, 2009
Vacant homes and boarded up buildings multiplied, hurting a once thriving neighborhood. But now businesses are taking a chance and opening up shop in the King-Lincoln District to help revitalize the neighborhood.
New housing is also going up in hopes of attracting residents. The Whitney Luxury Townhomes will soon be built on a currently empty plot of land at the corner of Hamilton and Mt. Vernon avenues.
READ MORE
living in king lincoln and seeing the decay that’s starting to once again take hold due to the economic downturn, properties for sale that simply cannot be sold and speculators sitting on properties for decades while letting them fall down, it’s hard to imagine the rationale for this type of project in this neighborhood at this time. i understand the arguments re: square footage, the sparks of hope that the lincoln theatre may or may not fan into something more and other small signs in the neighborhood, but i really believe that barring a significant change in the economy, tightened city codes and a true vision for the district that combines public and private forces as well as the emergence of a non-KLBNA residents organization, we’ll not experience much forward motion anytime soon. :(
All signs are pointing at the economic downturn being pretty short lived, so I’m going to remain much more optimistic than that. ;)
optimism is a good thing, certainly, but it doesn’t change the facts of king lincoln as it now stands – severely declining home values, recently rehabbed or other newly constructed projects that cannot sell, an investment in a theatre that may or may not pay off in the long-run, a city that has no more money to direct toward the district, a major arts center that may lose funding depending on the way city and other budgets go, a massively dysfunctional “neighborhood” association, etc. our neighborhood – and a lot of others in columbus – are really struggling. and it’s not just the neighborhood(s), its the people who make up the neighborhoods. poor neighborhoods and poor people seem to get even poorer in these kind of times. there’s a potential second wave coming in the mortgage crisis, a tsunami waiting to happen in the credit card industry, foreclosures are still a real threat, etc. i so wish this board had a greater cross section of king lincoln residents. i think in redeveloping/regentrifying neighborhoods, the voices that are loudest are those with economic power – and that economic power tends not to lie with the people who are long-time residents of this (or any other) neighborhood or district.
Right. You pretty much already said all of that, and again… a lot of it seems to hinge on the current short term economic downturn. Every neighborhood, every arts organization, and every business is hurting across the board. The national recession is hardly limited to this one neighborhood in this one city.
Columbus is posed pretty well to bounce back from the recession quickly. And as the city as a whole bounces back, so will its neighborhoods. Especially ones like the KLD where a lot of current potential lies.
Charlie Brown makes some good points, but we should all remember that change and positive change in neighborhoods is not just driven by those with “economic power.” People also have to want to change. Regarding KLD there is not a lot of gentrification because for the most part many of these houses and building are vacant and have been vacant for years and have been allowed to deteriorate by the owners – who sit on a piece of property for eons and either don’t choose to or can’t improve it or invest in their own community while they hope everything will change around them will improve – while they do nothing – so they can sell. Unfortunately, it just don’t work this way. These types of folks are actually obstructionists not positive catalysts for change. If they can’t take care of a building they should sell – this is the same everywhere in the country – great neighborhoods and bad and common sense. It may not be fun – but that’s the economy and society we live in. I feel bad for the declining values all over the country, the victims and the elderly and it is sad to see people needing to sell their homes because of economic distress. However, at the same time lets think about the children and Columbus public schools who benefit from higher property values and fixed up neighborhoods. We need to and should salute the investors and people who want to make it better and are willing to sacrifice and take perosnal risks like the Urban Spirit. Even poor people don’t want to live in buildings that are not fixed up or attended to. Regarding economic power – I guess if you work you have power – then perhaps some of these able bodied folks should focus on working, reading and writing and less loathing and complaining about not getting their share or looking for a “handout” or the government to fix something – no one is helping me out – and it is never easy. Folks lets face the facts – you have to put something back into society rather than just take, complain or expect someting for free – that free stuff is coming from you and me – not a mythical USA bank account
As far as KLD – any investor and any change for the better should be embraced whether it is the theatre, the Whitney or a local resident replacing their roof. The other thing that long time residents could spend more time on is picking up their garbage, cutting their grass and reporting crime. I am also completey convinced that this neighborhood is changing for the better and is a great investment and place both short-term and long term. And despite these difficult times the neighborhood will improve regardless and once again become a highly desirable inner city place to live in the very near future no question about it
I find it extremely interesting to hear the various comments from the people contributing on this thread. Specifically on the matter of what is to be done to alleviate the issues threating this community. First, I must apologize if I may or may not offend anyone on this issue but I must speak my mind. What is the biggest question on my mind is the relative ease many of you can give idealogical reasoning to many of the issues in the King Lincoln District. I am 60 yrs of age and lived in and around this area all my life. One thing I can tell you is that building a bunch of high priced homes/condos is not the answer. Second, this is a black neighborhood and has been for the last 90yrs if you wish to make any changes to this area then you have to understand that. Many people in this area have family moving back several generations and as such there is a great pride or sense of self drawn to this area. As that comment was read I feel many of you disheartened at the fact; maybe because you feel the area has been laid to waste due to lack of motivation. You may feel that if it were to have that pride why isn’t like Bexley or German Village; places that also have history and are “nice” places to live. You feel that this area is not safe, because of what you heard on the news. As I’m sure you done your research it was, in fact before the building of the interstate the area was very prosperous. Nevertheless, the reasons being was the era of segregation. Although the plight of the civil rights movement gave way in the 60′s, racism was of stern power leading in to the 70′s in Columbus. These factors coupled with the rise of drugs led to a flight of many affluent African-American’s from the community, giving rise to gangs and violence.
After much disparity of low-income housing projects and the distruction of the area’s locally owned stores, thus began the spiral to which we have today. Now we have people who wish to propagate high priced homes for their historic value and finally strip the last piece of true history away in price tags as if that were to solve any problem. Truth be told I have lived here my who life and NEVER have been robbed. Reason being I talk to people. I think that whomever were to buy these expensive homes would feel some sort of purpose for being. Never once truly experiencing the life of being on terms of the black experience. There is a tendency to want to remove it and replace it with their own. Never once considering the ramifications of those actions, and instead selfishly wanting something for your self. It’s much easier to take something from someone than to help someone understand how to create something for themselves.
If you are following, what I am reaching at is this idea of educating your self for an identity. You should ask yourself what do you want from this community. I can tell you what I want: for people to understand that this is not the life that you have to live. Many only want them gone, to crawl somewhere else because they do not deserve to be here. By suggest prices well out of the range of those who reside here now. I want people stand on there own without the help of those who wish them a diservice.
But I guess that I’m hoping for a lost cause. Those with money have the power. That has how it has always been. A sad truth told by a broken man.
Hi Robert! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. I agree with you that the history of any neighborhood is definitely something that new residents should educate themselves on, and cultural history should always be respected and preserved for future generations.
That being said, I don’t know if the prices being asked for these new condos are really outside the realm of affordability compared to what was most likely available when the area was in its prime decades ago. Perhaps I’m mistaken, but everything I’ve read has hinted that this neighborhood used to be fairly economically diverse. A quick look at some of the 3000+ sqft homes in the area is a pretty good indicator that many of the people who built them so many years ago had the money to live pretty well.
While the Whitney Condos may not be affordable for everyone, I do not think that the area is lacking in opportunities for people with lesser incomes to still buy and own a home. Adding diversity to the housing availability should benefit the entire community, right?
I guess what I’m trying to say is that if the problems that the area faces is partly due to the more affluent members of the community packing up and leaving so many years ago (as you mentioned above, and I agree with), wouldn’t part of the solution also be found in prompting more affluent people to fill the neighborhood back in and add that economic diversity in the community?
Let me say first and foremost that I believe that the condos are a good step forward in the direction of progress. I can’t express enough how the new revitalization efforts are contributing greatly to the area. What I more concerned with (more than the economics of the situation) is the involvement of those who wish to be a part of the community. Too many times I can count the application of gentrification being applied to those who fix up homes, stay in homes, never to exist outside the confines of their homes. While, this country is free and anyone is permitted to do whatever they want in their free time there is a growing view. As if a particular person’s presence is enough to contribute to growth or their payment of taxes. That is not the definition of community. And if someone were to say that they are a member of the community it would be better to say that they reside there. Once again I apologize to anyone I may offend for these comments but when I see projects like these it saddens me to see that these attractions focus on the economics of the situation rather than the social possibilities involved in the process. I would love for this area to thrive from a great mixture of cultures and backgrounds alike, but in order for that to happen people have to talk and listen to each other so we can all grow together. Instead of living in the fear of lost luxury.
robert- thanks for your passion, conviction and insight. i love this neighorhood for it’s history, culture, character and people and am glad that you and others do as well.
Robert – I’m looking back at some of the comments earlier in this particular thread (up top), and yes… a lot of this conversation has revolved around the bottom line costs associated with this particular development as well as other housing stock in the neighborhood. But if you take a look at some of the more culturally-focused discussions about this (or any other) neighborhood here on CU, I think you’ll find a much different type of conversation going on. I’ve found that a lot of people on CU from all around Columbus want to support their arts venues, local businesses, and civic and neighborhood organizations while also being able to weigh in with opinions on the economics and affordability of housing.
While I don’t think your point is offensive at all, I think that it might be a little unfair to try to judge anyone’s character by making evaluations solely on one specific development-based online conversation.