Newspaper Page Text
6A
OCTOBER 4. 2001
Laney-Walker Development Corporation
helps to revive formerly blighted area
By Rhonda Jones
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Though Laney-Walker Devel
opment Corporation (LWDC)
has been around since 1989,
Thursday, Sept. 28, marked a
new beginning for the nonprofit
organization.
The Reverend Hardy
Bennings, LWDC chairman of
the board, said it was a celebra
tion of their new office and staff,
and of the most recent building
projects. One is Phase II of the
Armstrong Galleria on Laney-
Walker Boulevard, which
LWDC executive director An
thony Chandler expects to be
completed next summer, and
which will contain five retail
shops and two major stores.
Theotherisacollection of seven
nearby housesin variousstages
of completion, which make up
Phase 111 of their home-build
ing project.
Bennings explai~s: “We are
kind of accenting our building
project, and giving persons in
thecommunity the opportunity
to just see the houses that are
under construction now. Just
basically to k nd of thank the
community because we’ve got
ten a lot of support from the
community and lending insti
tutions in the city of Augusta,
the county commissioners and
what have you, staff at Hous
ing and Neighborhood Devel
opment (HND). To show them
what we do.” :
“We hope to have this par
ticular phase finished and com
pleted, probably the latter part
of November, first part of De-
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VbR e S b 15
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asy:mwm BRBOO o RBi | 851 Laney-Walker Blvd. « Augusta, GA 30901
R R B Phone: 706-823-9780
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Anthony Chandler, executive director, Laney-Walker
Development Corporation. Photoby Rhonda Jones
cember,” he said of the Phase
111 houses.
They seed these projects with
fundsfrom Housingand Neigh
borhcod Development, and
build up their own financial
momentum when their houses
are sold. “We don’t anticipate
havingtousethe Housingfunds
forever,” Bennings said. But
right now, hesaid, thereissuch
a tremendous amount of work
to be done, thanks to about 35
years of neglect. “It’s good to
know we can get those seed
monies to complete as much of
the building program as we
can,” he said.
Their mission is to combat
those decades of neglect by in
fusing new life into Laney-
Walker Boulevard and the sur
rounding area. They seek to
createa positive cycle by spruc
ingup theareatomakeit pleas
ingtotheeyesothat peoplewill
want to live there, while offer
ing affordable housing for the
moderate-income people who
want to be there.
“Our homes are running
right now from $65,500 to about
$75,000,” Benningssaid. “We're
trying not to put a strain on
people.”
Bennings said the Laney-
Walker Development Corpora
tion offers a downpayment as
sistance program also, from
SI,OOO to SIO,OOO, which will
become a forgivable loan for
residents who stay in their
homes for five years.
“We're trying to give people
theopportunity tobecome first
time homeowners,” hesaid. Age
is not important, he added, as
longasprospectivebuyersdon’t
make over $31,000 or $32,000
and can qualify with a lending
institution for a loan.”
He said they are trying to
increase the income range, be
cause there are a number of
people who make a little more
but who look as though they
would be a good fit in the pro
gram.
The homes themselves have
plenty of bells and whistles,
according to Chandler. “Our
homes come with washers and
&
dryers, refrigerator, ranges,
home security systems.” He
said that they range in size
from 1,200 to 1,600 square feet,
and that mostofthemareranch
style, with some Cape Cod two
stories going up. They tend to
be three bedroom, two bath
room housesbut, Chandlersaid,
theydohavea four-bedroom as
well. Some of the houses even
have whirlpools.
“We're trying to build a real
family atmosphere out here,”
Chandler said. “Trying to cre
ateaneighborhood effect. These
people don’t have a chance to
buy home after home. This is
going to be their permanent
home. We want to have them
somethingthey canbe proud of
— something we can be proud
of giving them.”
Bennings explained the pro
cess of signing up.
“To start the process is sim
plyamatter of comingin, filling
out an application — which
gives us basic personal data of
jobs, financial status, current
living conditions — and we re
fer you to our lending institu
tions. We have about four that
we currently deal with,” he
said. “We make referrals to
them and they will process your
application and let us know
whether or not you qualify,
whether or not additional as
sistance may be needed.”
Ifyouareinterested in one of
these homes, contact Anthony
Chandler or Valerie White at
823-9780 from 9-5 Monday
through Friday. The office is
not open on Saturday, but they
do set up Saturday appoint
ments.
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UGA business outreach services
small husiness center network
AUGUSTA
Six courses to assist pro
spective and active small busi
ness persons will be offered in
October by the University of
Georgia Business Outreach
Services/Small Business De
velopment Center, Augusta
office.
Small Business Success-
Starting Your Own Business,
October 16, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
and Smart Marketing, 0ct0ber23,6:30-8:30
ber23,6:30-8:30 p.m. Attend
the three class series for a
discounted fee of S9O and re
ceive a certificate upon
Bell South will present
Business at Breakfast Oct. 9
Business at Breakfast will
be presented by Bell South on
Tuesday, October 9, at the
Augusta Country Clubat 7:30
a.m.
The Chamber will recognize
industries for their accom
plishments over the past 18
months. Categories of recog
; Benefit Concert
-A SALUTE TO THE U.S.A.
by the
AUGUSTA CONCERT BAND
Sunday, October 14 » 7 P.M. ¢ Jessye Norman Amphitheater
YPATRIOTIC SONGS *PorurLAr & Jazz
4 o %MARCHES
Freewill donations to aid NYC victims
completion or attend one class
for $35.
Minority Financing - Will
be offered October 2,9:00 a.m.
- 3:00 p.m. $35 registration
fee. Limited to first thirty ap
plicants.
Call the University of Geor
gia Business Outreach Ser
vices/Small Business Devel
opment Center at 706/737-
1790 for further information.
Also, special arrangement for
the handicapped will be made
ifrequested in advance. Space
is limited so please register
early.
nitioninclude: site beautifica
tion, efforts to improve the
environment, workforce con
tinuing education programs
and innovation in technology.
Cost is sl2in advance, sls at
the door. Please RSVP to
Tammie Flowers at 821-1300.
Theevent will be sponsored
by High Voltage Specialists.