Once-vibrant community may be demolished

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Once-vibrant community may be demolished

By Acosta

Staff Writer

February 4, 2002

Northport City Councilman stands near the East Circle housing

complex in Northport on Thursday. The complex will be demolished, and the

site probably will be used to develop Northport's riverfront. Photo by

E. Palmer. The Tuscaloosa News.

NORTHPORT | In the 1960s, the East Circle public housing complex was a

vibrant community along the Black Warrior River.

" It was lively, " Northport City Councilman said. " You used to

have to wait before you had an opportunity to play basketball on the court. "

Today, the basketball courts are empty. Only eight of the complex's 70 units

are occupied, and a proposal to demolish the apartments may force the

remaining residents to vacate their homes.

Milo Pearson, director of the Northport Housing Authority, said the federal

government had intended to renovate East Circle for $7 million until last

year, when they discovered that tearing it down and rebuilding it would be

more cost-effective.

" We feel we can replace them for just a little more and have brand-new

units, " Pearson said. " The site is 40 years old, and it's made with

substandard materials. That material is no longer acceptable. "

The apartments have non-grounded aluminum wiring, which can lead to

electrocution. The exterior is coated with toxic lead paint, and asbestos

insulation fibers are under the floor tiles.

said that exposure to these materials has the potential to cause

serious illness in present and former East Circle residents.

" I'm just wondering, are there former or present residents who have health

problems related to these apartments? " said.

However, Pearson said that these flaws pose no danger to the few residents

still living in East Circle. He said the lead paint and asbestos fibers were

covered up about eight years ago, rendering them innocuous.

" It's still there, but it's encapsulated, " Pearson said.

He said it's also unlikely that residents who lived in East Circle before

the paint and asbestos were contained were harmed. Pearson said lead paint

is a problem only on interior walls, and the most harmful asbestos is within

ceilings and walls, not floors.

" I really think the chance that anyone would be affected by that would be

very, very small, " Pearson said.

Most East Circle residents say they don't mind relocating. Agnes Hill, who

has lived in the complex for seven years, said its poor conditions have made

her look forward to moving day.

" At nighttime, it will be so dark here, " Hill said. " There's no streetlight.

It's pretty dangerous.

" But [the demolition] is really not a shock. I've expected it's going to

happen. "

Pearson said the demolition of East Circle would begin soon after money is

obtained from the federal Office of Housing and Urban Development. He said

the apartments would probably be rebuilt on several small sites around

Northport.

" They want them scattered around the city, " Pearson said. " They don't want

any more project-type housing. "

agreed, saying a large group of public housing facilities often

encourages crime.

" If you're talking about just staying in District 2, you are creating

another potential for an impoverished area, eventually, " said. " If

you are looking to put the same socioeconomic individuals in a confined

area, it has the potential to create a blighted area. "

The site will probably be used to develop Northport's riverfront. City

Planning Director Lew Drummond said the Northport Housing Authority would

probably sell the property to a commercial developer.

" They have indicated to me they're not going to build any more public

housing, " Drummond said. " So they're probably going to put it up for bids.

Then developers could buy it. "

said he hopes to see quality retail establishments built on the lot.

" We're going to look to bring upscale restaurants and other businesses into

the area to increase its tax base, " said.

Reach Acosta at jen.acosta@..., or 345-0505, Ext.

283.