DECATUR — NorSouth Constructs (www.nsconstructs.com) will soon break ground on the third and final phase of a $30 million redevelopment of Allen Wilson Terrace Public Housing by the Decatur Housing Authority (DHA). NorSouth Constructs was selected by the DHA based on qualifications and a competitive bid process to build both Phase II and Phase III of the community, located at 1450 Commerce Drive in the heart of Decatur. When the entire project is completed, the revitalized Allen Wilson Terrace will provide 191 units of high-quality, environmentally friendly housing, along with onsite amenities for lower-income families and seniors.

Phase III will consist of seven buildings, including two 20-unit row-style apartment buildings and five smaller buildings in a cluster home setting. All will be three stories tall with flats on the ground floor and two-story townhomes above. In total, Phase III will include 71 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, along with an equipped playground, a separate play area for toddlers, a community garden, a laundry facility and a half-mile landscaped walking trail. Designed in a traditional style of brick, cast stone and stucco by Aiken Housing Design Partners of Atlanta, the new structures will blend in well with Decatur’s ongoing redevelopment, and have a number of “green” features.

Completion is scheduled for January 2014.

“Higher housing and transportation costs have created an economic burden for many low-to-moderate income households, pushing them out of cities and further away from educational and job opportunities” said DHA Executive Director Doug Faust. “We are working to reverse this trend in Decatur by demolishing a functionally obsolete housing project in the heart of the city, and creating in its place a vibrant, environmentally sensitive open campus with affordable housing options to serve families of all incomes and ages, and within easy walking distance of Decatur’s shops, restaurants, schools and offices.”

The redevelopment of Allen Wilson Terrace began with a public process involving residents and members of the greater community. A master plan was completed for the entire project, with special emphasis placed on meeting and exceeding the standards of Southface Energy Institute’s EarthCraft Communities and EarthCraft Multifamily certification. Demolition of the 70-year-old existing buildings began in 2007, and throughout the phased redevelopment process, great care was taken to minimize displacement and disruption of the residents and to insure that the maximum number of affordable apartments was retained.

“It’s extremely gratifying to be involved in this exciting project,” said Colin Edelstein, director of NorSouth Constructs. “DHA has committed to incorporating a number of innovative environmental features in the community, including a 50 kWh photovoltaic (PV) solar power generation system, rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing and landscape irrigation, thermally-efficient windows and spray foam insulation in all walls and attic spaces. In fact, Oliver House, the senior apartment building we built during Phase II, was recently named EarthCraft Multifamily 2012 Project of the Year by Southface and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.”

About the Decatur Housing Authority

The Decatur Housing Authority has served the needs of the residents of the City of Decatur since its creation in 1938. In addition to its role in developing, owning and managing public housing, DHA has been involved in developing a number of non-subsidized for-sale single family, condominium and townhouse properties in Decatur. Portions of each of these developments were available as Workforce and Lifecycle Housing that provide affordable homeownership for working households. Throughout its 70-year history, DHA has made a significant impact on the economic growth and well-being of this small city. Just 4.18 square miles in size, Decatur, Georgia is today a thriving small city, thanks in part to the work of the Authority. www.decaturhousing.org

About NorSouth Constructs

NorSouth Constructs is an award-winning construction firm with a reputation for building high-quality mixed-use, seniors and multi-family communities for developers and owners throughout the Southeast. Based in Savannah, Ga., NorSouth Constructs offers unique preconstruction services, based on a transparent “design to cost” process which helps owners and their design teams create high-quality properties built for a defined, predictable cost. The company’s slogan, ‘Your mission. Our vision’, highlights its commitment to create long-term customer relationships, based on unparalleled service, reliability and transparency. www.nsconstructs.com