The first buildings of the revitalized Beecher Terrace public housing development should open next fall.
The outdated housing development is being demolished and rebuilt.
Lisa Osanka, executive director of the Louisville Metro Housing Authority, told WLKY that her agency conducted hundreds of community meetings. She said after reviewing the feedback, the housing authority decided to keep the development’s original name.
“We heard from the community here in West Louisville that they wanted to keep the name Beecher Terrace, and so we’ll honor and respect that,” said Osanka.
Beecher Terrace is named after Henry Ward Beecher, who was the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Osanka said preserving that history was important.
When finished, the new Beecher Terrace will welcome mixed-income families.
“You should not be able to tell the difference between what’s an affordable unit, what’s a midlevel unit and what’s a market rate unit,” said Osanka.
Town homes and a building featuring 117 apartments for people 55 or older will be finished first. We are told residents could move in before the end of next year.
“Many of them (former residents) expressed to us that they would like to temporarily relocate and then come back to the revitalized site, and so they’ll get first crack at those units,” said Osanka.
Residents have been moving out over the past several months. Osanka said that process wrapped up last week, meaning demolition of the existing buildings is now in full swing.
The $200 million project must be completed by the end of 2023.
https://www.wlky.com/article/beecher-terrace-to-keep-name-after-revitalization-project/29578853