A tired extended-stay motel on Jimmy Carter Boulevard has a new life. The Gwinnett Housing Corporation has finished converting the former Spring Swallow Lodge in Peachtree Corners into Crest Pointe Village, a community of 73 affordable apartments, WSB-TV reported.
The housing corporation will mark the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, followed by property tours, according to North Gwinnett Voice. Residents are expected to start moving in in November.
What was built
The $15 million redevelopment turned the old motel on a 4.69-acre property at 7065 Jimmy Carter Boulevard into 73 studio efficiency and one-bedroom apartments. Each apartment includes a full kitchen, the housing corporation said.
Officials told WSB-TV the project is Gwinnett County's first conversion of a hotel into permanent affordable housing.
The community is designed for two groups: seniors 62 and older, and young adults ages 18 to 24 who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability, including young people aging out of foster care.
The project team
AAPCO Group served as general contractor on the conversion, and Praxis3 provided architectural services, according to WSB-TV. OneStreet Residential will manage the property, and the nonprofit Hope, Thrive, Support will offer supportive services to help residents stay independent and pursue their goals.
How it was paid for
Gwinnett County funded nearly half of the $15 million development cost, the station reported.
Other financial support came from the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, the Gwinnett County Housing Authority, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs through GA Rehoused, Capital City Bank, Embassy Bank, Primerica, and several regional charitable foundations and churches. North Gwinnett Voice also lists the Georgia Power Foundation and the Community Foundation of Northeast Georgia as supporters and says the city of Peachtree Corners backed the redevelopment.
A long time coming
Lejla Prljaca, chief development officer of Gwinnett Housing Corporation, called the opening "a full-circle milestone" for the organization.
"More than a decade ago, we began elevating the voices of families experiencing hidden housing insecurity in extended-stay hotels," she said. "Today, we are celebrating Gwinnett County's first hotel conversion into permanent affordable housing."
The project follows research by the housing corporation that found 84% of survey respondents in Norcross relied on extended-stay hotels as a last resort, WSB-TV reported. North Gwinnett Voice said that study, titled "When Extended Stay Becomes Home," helped shape the group's push to convert aging extended-stay properties into permanent affordable housing. The nonprofit was founded in 1997 by the Lawrenceville Housing Authority.
"Where others saw an aging extended-stay motel, we saw an opportunity to address the need for increased access to affordable housing," said Karen Ramsey, the corporation's CEO. "For a senior, this can mean a safe, affordable place to age with dignity. For a young adult, it can mean having the stability to continue their education, find employment and begin building their future."
Why it matters for contractors
Motel-to-apartment conversions are one way housing groups are adding units, and Crest Pointe Village shows what one looks like on the ground. At about $15 million for 73 units, the project works out to roughly $205,000 per apartment, a number that reflects the work involved in turning motel rooms into permanent homes.
Converting a motel isn't just new paint and carpet. Adding a full kitchen to every unit means new plumbing, electrical circuits, ventilation and cabinetry in rooms that were never designed for cooking. Contractors on this kind of job also deal with code upgrades for permanent residential use, accessibility requirements, fire and life safety systems, and whatever surprises are hiding behind the walls of an older building.
The funding stack is also typical of this work. With county money, a state program, the Federal Home Loan Bank, banks and foundations all involved, contractors should expect detailed reporting, draw requirements and compliance paperwork.
For general contractors and subs in metro Atlanta, Gwinnett's first hotel conversion may not be its last. The housing corporation has said it is looking for more aging extended-stay properties to convert, and now it has a working example to point to. Firms with renovation and occupied-building experience should get to know the Gwinnett Housing Corporation and similar nonprofits.