STARKVILLE — An $11 million redevelopment project is underway at the Brookville Garden Apartments complex on Everglade Avenue by its new owner.
Triangle Development Corp. purchased the complex in January 2022 from Brookville Schoolhouse Road Estates. At the time, the city had condemned three of the complex’s 27 buildings and ordered them demolished.
The city, however, stayed that order to give Triangle Development the opportunity to improve the property, and company Chief Operating Officer Scott King said Wednesday a project to redevelop all buildings, which contain 120 units, is well underway.
“Every single building will be completely rehabilitated to modern construction code and standards,” King said.
King said construction began in May on the first 10 buildings and is nearly complete with the project’s first of three phases. He expects the company to begin on the next two phases by November and complete the project before 2025.
The work includes renovating the units’ interiors, redoing the walls, redoing the plumbing and electrical, repairing roofs, replacing HVAC units, landscaping and road work.
Once complete, each unit will feature upgraded bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms and living rooms with a white paint finish, King said.
Under the previous owner, King said many of the maintenance needs of residents had been largely ignored.
“Prior to our ownership and management, the place had fallen into absolute disrepair due to the previous ownership,” he said. “… We spent about 16 months putting together the financing and construction plans to fully rehabilitate the complex.”
King said that the complex sits at only 40% occupancy, with the first phase dealing largely with vacant buildings. Triangle Development will temporarily relocate more than 40 residents still living in the 17 buildings left unrenovated. All residents will have their rent covered while they are away, and the company has agreed to assist in moving residents to their temporary homes.
So far, King said about eight residents have been temporarily moved into other complexes in Starkville, but they will be back once their units are fully renovated within a month.
“Any sort of relocation that occurs is going to be done according to the plan,” King said. “We are providing financial and physical assistance to the tenants to be able to temporarily relocate for the portion of time that we have construction (on their units).”
To recoup the company’s investment into the complex, King said it raised about $8.5 million in federal tax credits, which it sold to investors who can then use that for tax exemptions in 2024. King declined to comment on whether rent rates would rise at the renovated complex. Brookville Garden is Section 8 housing, meaning rent is federally subsidized for qualifying low-income tenants.
Resident Johnny Matthews said he had been staying at Brookville Garden since 1995, and he believes Triangle Development is doing what’s necessary to improve living conditions in each unit.
“They are probably the first company I’ve seen here to care about this place,” he told The Dispatch.
Mayor Lynn Spruill told The Dispatch the city’s code enforcement division is monitoring the progress of the renovations, including regular site visits. She said the sale agreement dictates the company has to completely redo every building and bring the complex up to code.
“(We) are keeping a fairly close watch on that,” she said. “We’re working with them as they come forward with new buildings that they are ready to renovate. We’re working with them to help them meet those codes and make those units habitable.”
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