NHT/Enterprise Preservation Corporation Press Release

Garrett Square Neighborhood Celebrates Major Face Lift Plan and a New Name

Charlottesville, Virginia – May 20, 2003 – The ownership partners, city officials, and residents of Garrett Square celebrated today by announcing a major renovation plan and community name change for the downtown neighborhood. Charlottesville Mayor, Maurice Cox, launched the event by introducing representatives from the project’s two nonprofit partners, John Morland of National Housing Trust – Enterprise Preservation Corporation and Stu Armstong of the Piedmont Housing Alliance, at the neighborhood’s newly refurbished Community Center. The festivities also included the unveiling of a new name for the community and on-site tours of completed interior and exterior renovations. Located just two blocks from Charlottesville’s historic walking mall, Garrett Square will be refurbished and preserved as affordable housing for deserving Charlottesville residents. The renovation process will take place throughout 2003 and is expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year.

A Major Face Lift

Ongoing renovations for the neighborhood include exterior improvements such as new asphalt roofs, energy efficient windows, hardi-plank siding and entrance doors. New kitchens, high efficiency heat pumps, water-saving front-loading washer/dryers, garbage disposals and fresh paint will be installed throughout the community’s individual residential units. In addition, the community center and adjacent playground will be completely refurbished. The center also boasts a new computer learning facility allowing for expanded educational and recreational programs for the residents and their children.

The Name Game

To capture the spirit and new vision for Garrett Square, the residents and partners decided to conduct a renaming contest for the neighborhood. A variety of suggested names were submitted to a selection committee consisting of representatives from the City of Charlottesville, property management, the ownership partners, and residents. Friendship Court was selected as the new name by the committee and the winner of the contest, resident, Lizete Short, received a gift certificate for her winning entry. “We look forward to the opportunity to work with Friendship Court residents and the larger Charlottesville community to make this an ideal place for families to make their homes”, comments John Morland of NHT-Enterprise. “This project is designed to maintain Friendship Court as a desirable and safe neighborhood for its residents and surrounding communities while enhancing the City’s efforts to develop a vital and stable downtown.”

Also see Friendship Court page.

For more information, contact Jenny Busanic at the National Housing Trust, 202-333-8931