About 20 units at Oak Manor are “95% complete,” owner Edmond Green told Columbus City Council Tuesday night. Work is underway on renovating the rest, but progress is slower than anticipated.
Green bought the dilapidated complex, which had been slated for demolition, in October 2022. The council had ordered them torn down in October 2021 but rescinded that order when Green bought it.
In May, Green, who had been called before the council over rubbish piled up in front of one of the units, promised he would have 50% of the about 60-unit complex “livable” by the end of August.
Tuesday night he said he was lagging a little behind.
“We have about 20 units that are 95% complete,” Green said. “We have another 12 units that are about 65 to 75% complete.”
Green said the units that are furthest along are the one- and two-bedroom units.
“They need some minor electrical work and some new vents on the roof, which will take about a day,” Green said. “Then we just need to get them inspected.”
He said the renovation work was facing some challenges, including difficulty getting construction materials and new appliances on the one hand and trouble getting workers on the other.
“We want to be aggressive, but we’ve had some challenges on workers,” Green said. “It’s challenging to get skilled laborers. We can’t compete with some of the large projects going on in Lowndes County.”
Green estimated having about 10 people per week who would work, while the expectation was 20. Of the 10 who come to work, most are unskilled laborers.
Ward 1 Councilwoman Ethel Stewart, whose ward includes Oak Manor, pressed Green on when he thought the project would be complete.
“The citizens in the neighborhood are asking me all the time, and they want to know,” Stewart said.
Contractor Rod Dismukes, who is doing the on-site work, estimated 32 units would be complete within the next two weeks.
“Those are one bedroom, with the exception of one building that has two-bedroom units,” Dismukes said. “The other buildings are three- and four-bedrooms, which is quite a bit more. Those buildings also need some structural work.”
Green and Dismuke said they would assess what exactly needs to be done and come back next month with a projected completion date.
Mayor Keith Gaskin said at his Wednesday morning press conference he was “pleased to see progress” being made at the site.
“There were a lot of concerns about this area because there were so many empty,” Gaskin said. “There was a lot of crime. That seems to have stopped for now.”
Gaskin stopped short of saying he was satisfied with the progress, however.
“I’m not sure I’d say we’re satisfied, but we understand the dilemmas he’s up against,” Gaskin said. “I am pleased that he is willing to come back and give us updates. … We’re glad to see the progress, but we will keep watching it closely.”
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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