Greensboro city leaders discuss plans for Regency Inn transformation into housing; property continues to sit empty
The Greensboro City Council discussed a new plan to turn an old motel into housing for the homeless after over a year of no progress
The Greensboro City Council discussed a new plan to turn an old motel into housing for the homeless after over a year of no progress
The Greensboro City Council discussed a new plan to turn an old motel into housing for the homeless after over a year of no progress
The Greensboro City Council discussed a new plan to turn an old motel into housing for the homeless after over a year of no progress.
At Tuesday’s city council meeting, members heard from the president of the California-based non-profit Step Up and the chief investment officer of a property group, Slate, which Step Up partnered with on the project.
Step Up partnered with the city over a year ago to transform the motel into housing for the chronically homeless. Initially, it proposed turning the current Regency Inn structure into 58 permanent housing units for the chronically homeless. That hasn’t happened.
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At last night's city council meeting, Slate’s chief investment officer, Brian Vetter, said there were structural issues with the existing building and environmental issues on the property, making it difficult to revamp the building.
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He said this is why Step Up and Slate is instead proposing that the old Regency Inn be torn down so new housing units can be built on the property.
The new plan would create 201 housing units, a pool and clubhouse on the property.
However, some city council members expressed frustration at the lack of progress with the property. Sharon Hightower, a council member, said she hasn’t heard any plans to get started on the project.
“I want us to be serious about helping individuals who are on the street,” Hightower said. “But I don’t hear anything that says we can start on this date, we can have these units ready by this date.”
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Another city council member, Zack Matheny said he’s shocked the city invested over $3 million into this project and didn’t know there were environmental issues on the property.
“It’s incredible. I have never seen anything as poorly facilitated as this project,” he said.
Matheny also questioned whether the city should take back control of the property. Currently, it is owned by partnership homes
However, some city council members said they would be in favor of tearing down the Regency Inn and rebuilding as in Step Up’s new proposal, including Greensboro’s mayor Nancy Vaughan.
“If the question is today, ‘where do we go from here?’ I think it’s a no-brainer to consider this new project,” she said.
Meanwhile, people living near the abandoned Regency Inn call it an eyesore. One woman living nearby, who wished to remain anonymous, has lived in a nearby neighborhood since 1996.
She said the motel was once prosperous, but for years now, it has sat lifeless.
“It makes the neighborhood look drab,” she said.
She said if the building isn’t going to be used for anything, then it should be torn down. However, she said she would like to see it be used for housing where families in need could thrive.
“Just something to make the neighborhood more productive,” she said. “Let the neighborhood be able to use the facility, you know, that would be ideal.”
However, without a consensus from the city council, the project is still not set to begin and Hightower says the city desperately needs to get it started.
“Our community needs us to move quickly,” she said. “People are houseless. They can’t wait.”
Vaughan asked Step Up to come back to the council in two weeks with a proposed timeline and budget for the project.
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