There is a lot going on in Augusta and a lot to discuss. So let’s start with the over payment of the Weed School. There seems to be differing stories of exactly how much was indeed paid for the property.
From the looks of some of the figures, it does appear that the price was indeed heavily inflated.
Talking personally with Augusta Housing Director Hawthorne Welcher, he stated that there were, indeed, big plans for the location. Welcher stated he didn’t know exactly how it would proceed at this time.
When questioned about the possibility of the lead, mold and asbestos problems, he indicated that the building would most likely be demolished and a new one built from the ground up.
We discussed a possible project for the property and Mr. Welcher stated that a project similar to the Beacon Station development would most likely be the end result. If indeed this were the result, it would transform Sandhills into a more desirable neighborhood.
Next is the Tiny Home Village that is slated to be built on or in the surrounding area of the old Merry Street Park. This is intended to be a transition village of young adults that have aged out of the foster care system.
The question that really needs to be asked and answered is, why? Why is there a need for this village? When a young adult turns 18, shouldn’t they already have been taught the life skills to be on their own?
Isn’t it the duty of foster parents to teach the children in their care life lessons? How to be responsible adults? Isn’t that the duty and responsibility of every parent, whether it be natural, adoptive or foster parents? Or is this just another program to keep the aged-out in the system?
Who and how is this program going to be funded? Who will be the employee to oversee the program? What will be the directives to the 18 year olds? What will the rules be? What will they have to do to live within this program? At what age do they age out? Really need much more clarity and answers.
Relocating the Allen Homes public housing to the location of the old Joseph Lamar School is not being received very well.
The decision is not final as I am told. However, the 236 units will be built somewhere.
The longtime chairman of the Summerville Crime Watch David Dunagan has been very outspoken about the prospect.
“I think this move will be going in the opposite direction,” Dunagan said.
There is a huge elephant of a problem that already plagues that area and its name is the Bon Air Apartments. Section 8 and special needs residents reside there.
The once beautiful historic facility already shares its crime, drugs and shots fired into the night with the community, why bring more into the community?
The worry that the housing development will bring problems to the Academy of Richmond County is a very real concern. ARC has managed to stay out of the headlines for the most part and everyone wants to keep it that way.
Back in the early part of 2022, the idea was brought up to move the Allen Homes to the old jail location at 401 Walton Way. The vast majority of the commissioners put an end to that discussion before it could begin.
NO, NO. We can’t have the first thing people see when they cross from Carolina into Augusta be public housing. Oh Lordy, how would that look? That would give a bad impression of Augusta.
Commissioners complained that the project would be placed directly across from the sheriff’s office. That would be too intimidating to the residents, they say, especially the youngsters that live there, they say.
No, let’s not put the public housing there, but instead move the Allen Homes residents into a community that is striving to make a comeback. New buildings are already sprouting up and remodels of existing houses are taking place all over Harrisburg.
Now, no one is saying that the residents of public housing are all bad people. There are many, many good decent people that live there. There, just like in all neighborhoods, are bad people as well.
I grew up directly across the street from the Olmstead Homes on Broad Street. There were many childhood friends of mine that came out of the “project” as it was called then.
Some of them moved away, some sadly passed away and some are still my friends today. They raised families and led productive lives. Somehow, they managed not to go to prison or have a lengthy rap sheet.
My, how times have changed.
On Nov. 6, I wrote about a missing monument dedicated to Kermit Radford that was taken from the Olmstead Stadium location and no one knew of its whereabouts. A reader replied that the Salvation Army had saved it and it had been relocated to the Kroc Center grounds where the old Chafee Park Gym once stood.
I and a few others have gone back to the Kroc Center and searched the grounds over for that monument. It must have been painted with invisible paint for it can’t be seen.
Even the folks at the center desk don’t know anything about it. At least the two that were asked didn’t know the location. So, if the reader would be kind enough to give us an exact location of its whereabouts on the grounds, it would be greatly appreciated.
Good news. Since the photo of the picnic table shelter area of the A. L. Williams Park in Harrisburg that was so neglected with holes in the roof and chain link fence surrounding it ran in The Augusta Press, it is now being repaired.
After months of just sitting to decay, as of Thursday, Nov. 16, a work crew was on site repairing it.
Speaking of 401 Walton Way where the old jail stood, it has become an eyesore. After months and months of demolition and delays, the building was brought down. Now the lot looks like a cross between a construction laydown yard and a cement factory.
The chain link fence that still surrounds the property still has the Constantine wire wrapped across the top. There is still large construction equipment being used to grind the large pieces of cement to dust that will be used in other endeavors on site.
It can be imagined that the contractor not only got the money to demolish, but also the profits from the copper and metal from within the building.
Don’t you as a taxpayer paying for all of this think there should be performance guidelines in place on every job? Tell us what you think please.
Folks, as always, you just can’t make this stuff up.
