Plans to redevelop Cobbs Hill Village apartments have been among the most controversial in recent memory, generating sharp criticism concerning the project’s design and its proximity to the park. City Council will hold a public hearing concerning the project at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9, in Council Chambers.
Mayor Lovely Warren submitted legislation to Council that would allow the project to be refinanced and move forward. City Council is expected to vote on the matter at its Thursday, May 15 meeting. It’s difficult to say how Council members are going to vote in the face of such strong opposition to the project from a wide range of neighborhood and community groups. At a recent working meeting, Council members asked few questions about the project.
The original 60-unit complex, which consists of six one-story buildings, was built in the 1950’s as low-income housing for people age 55 and over. Rochester Management, a non-profit organization, operates the property.
The city Planning Commission approved plans last March to demolish the existing buildings and construct a six-building complex with 104 units. Rochester Management CEO Peggy Hill said the company is leaving 20 units at their current low rental rates for 40 years. Also, rents would remain the same for all of Cobbs Hill’s current tenants who move into the new buildings. But when the tenants move out, rents can be raised, with the exception of 20 units.
Some opponents want nothing built on the site and they want it to someday revert to city ownership and be returned to parkland. Others argue that the new complex will reduce the amount of low-income housing available to seniors.
But Rochester Management says that every unit in the new complex will meet state guidelines for affordable senior housing. The company has argued that the existing buildings are old, outdated, and deteriorated. At public meetings, Hill said repairing them would be too costly. The company has made numerous concessions over the course of two years to try to address the concerns of opponents, but their demands are too diverse, she said.
This article appears in May 2-8, 2018.
Demolishing 60 low income senior apartments.. why not 60 in new proposed build? Take new buildings elsewhere.. State money available to refurb existing buildings at a much lower expense. Why isnt RMI utilizing these state funds?
I have lived at Cobbs Hill for 10 years; in that time nothing was done to fix it up. trying to wedge more people in an area and less room for nature. We have had bouts of bed bugs, break ins and drugs being sold here. And to be so close to the road and basketball court is ridiculous. As of now there is no security and will not be so secure with the new building. the ones that are here are sound and just need a little tweeking; like new windows, floors and new appliances. It is advertised as a smoke free environment, but there is roughly 12-14 people out of 60 who smoke; and nothing is done to enforce a smoke free place. Also it is suppose to be exclusively 55 and older, but a couple of tenants have their children staying with the. When there is a problem, we have to call the police and pretty much have to tell trespassers not to be here; two signs that are in the parking lot not facing anyway where one is trepassing could see it say” no solictitors, trepassers etc.” That is the security here.
There is plenty of land out there that can be used to make new apartments; but there is so many going up, why overload the city. Lastly, no one is thinking of us when the construction is going on; the noise, dirt and pollution is going to be intense because most of us live about 200 ft from the proposed area. As for myself, I have no where to go. If I have to leave because of all this going on and want to come back, I will lose my rent control. Stop this from happening here. Protect the elderly and the park. Please help us stay here. PS. a few are near 80 years old and it will be difficult for them to handle this move.