Construction on the first phase of a significant renovation of the Nevin Plaza rehabilitation project is set to begin in December or January and is estimated to last 18 months to two years, according to Richmond city staff.
Nevin Plaza is a 138-unit multifamily rental housing facility for very low-income seniors
and persons with disabilities located at 2400 Nevin Ave. Nonprofit affordable housing developer EAH Housing is leading the project.
The first phase of construction, estimated to cost about $65.5 million, involves a comprehensive rehabilitation and renovation to 138 residential apartments and tenant common-area facilities in the existing 7-story building, including “mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, material, and other necessary upgrades,” according to the city.
After the renovation, residents of the apartment complex will enjoy a “new bathroom, new kitchen, new windows, new floors,” and more, Nannette Beacham, executive director at City of Richmond Housing Authority, told City Council during a public hearing on project financing Tuesday.
Every resident will have the right to return to their original unit if they choose, according to the city. While some residents will choose to relocate to live with their families during construction, most will not have to leave Nevin Plaza. The renovation will happen in phases and “model” units will be established in the building to house residents while their units are being worked on, according to Beacham.
Following the renovation of the 138-unit building, the project’s second phase will include construction of a new, 70-unit, 4-story building that will “mirror” the rehabilitated 7-story building. The project, which will also be 100 percent affordable for low-income households, will locate on adjacent excess land and most of the surface parking lot area, according to city officials.
