HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A Henrico County apartment complex will soon undergo renovations after years of management turnover.
Formerly known as the Essex Village Apartments, construction on the new St. Luke Apartments is set to begin in November.
The apartments have gone through several management cycles and have been neglected when it came to their upkeep, according to some Henrico officials and residents.
Now, a new redevelopment plan is looking to put $4,000 into each of the 496 units that make up the apartment. That money is part of a $28 million overhaul, from bond money through the state tax credits, that will go into the apartment complex’s renovation.
The complex’s owner will close on financing in October.
One county official told 8News the apartment complex facelift is “much-needed improvements that are long overdue.”
The property was built in the 1950s and has undergone several renovations, in addition to management turnover in recent years.
In 2017, when the new St. Luke Apartment was known as Essex Village, a pregnant woman fell from a broken balcony.
“That’s why the time to renovate this property is now,” said Eric Leabough, director of community revitalization. “It’s long overdue. It’s suffered for years from lack of maintenance and lack of upkeep.
“The improvements are needed yesterday.”
Construction is expected to be complete by November 2021. Residents can expect a new playground, a washer and dryer inside of family units and increased security.
“This area had experienced higher calls for service from a police perspective,” Leabough said. “So, they are willing to work with our police department to improve the overall safety here in this community.”
