The developer who bought the troubled Oak Manor apartment complex on Southside has promised Columbus City Council half of the units will be rehabbed by Aug. 31.
Edmond Green purchased the complex, which had been slated for demolition, in October of last year. The council ordered them torn down in October 2021, but rescinded that order when Green bought the complex.
Tuesday night Green appeared before the council after being cited for rubbish that was piled up outside one of the units.
Green told the council that rehabilitation of the site was progressing.
“It looks better now than it has looked in seven years,” Green said. “It has been a slow process, but I think we’re on our way now. I would like to commit by the end of August to have 50% completion of that property.”
The complex, located at 901 11th St. S., consists of 13 buildings and about 60 individual units.
Green said progress has been slower than he would like during the latter part of last year due to a combination of the death of his mother and bad weather.
“But right now the property has no trash and debris outside on the grounds at all,” he said. “There are some boarded-up windows, but there have been boarded-up windows for the past five years.”
Ward 1 Councilwoman Ethel Stewart didn’t share Green’s warm view.
“That property was like that when you purchased it, and it has gotten worse,” she said. “… I get calls every week concerning (the apartments).”
Ward 4 Councilman Pierre Beard pressed Green on when he would have the property cleaned up.
“Thirty units will be liveable (by the end of August),” Green said. “The first block, that’s 11th Street, that’s 20 units, and then right across (at 13th Street South) where people are living now. That’s another 10 (units).”
The apartments will not be “bare minimum,” Green said.
“They’re brand new inside,” he said. “Wiring, heating, air, walls, roofing. Everything is brand new. … I have five units that will be liveable within seven days.”
Building Official Kenny Weigel told The Dispatch inspections of those seven units were ongoing.
“This office would have to issue a certificate of occupancy before anyone can move in,” he said.
Those units will be marketed toward new tenants, Green said.
“My intent is to rent them at market rate, possibly to students,” he said. “When we get to (the occupied) units we’ll make a decision on where to relocate those tenants.”
Beard told Green he wanted to see improvements quickly.
“The biggest thing we have as far as this property is how it looks,” Beard said. “It still looks the same and we’re still having problems. You need to uphold your end.”
Green said he was still within the timeframe he originally promised.
“It does not look the same as when I purchased it,” Green said. “That is absolutely incorrect. … I gave a timeline of 12 to 18 months. I’m not even eight months in. I want it fixed so I can make money. Right now I’m losing money.”
At a Wednesday press conference at City Hall, Mayor Keith Gaskin said the city wants to work with Green to make the complex viable again.
“Situations like that don’t happen overnight,” Gaskin said. “Sometimes it’s difficult to improve them overnight. Hopefully after last night’s conversations the new owner and the city will be in a situation where we can work together to get those apartments up to standards.”
City Attorney Jeff Turnage, also at the press conference, told The Dispatch if Green doesn’t keep his promise, the council voted during Tuesday’s meeting to allow “immediate abatement.” “He could come and ask for more time, and I expect (the council) will grant him more time if he’s made good progress,” Turnage said.
If not, abatement could take the form of boarding up structures or demolishing them, Turnage said.
“Those are about our only two options,” Turnage said.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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