PEORIA, Ill. – Construction at what will soon be formerly known as Taft Homes is continuing as planned.
That’s according to Peoria Housing Authority CEO Armeca Crawford.
“The project is on schedule. We already completed the first building…close to completing the first building. But we are still on schedule relative to the development,” said Crawford.
Crawford says she does not know if there have been any increased or unexpected costs as of yet in building the new “Providence Pointe.”
Ground was broken on the $50 million project almost exactly one year ago, and is expected to be complete in about a year.
A number of the homes were demolished, after residents complained of security and conditions. It was the demolition phase that was another important part of the project, as it was laid out.
“We actually partnered with Illinois Central College and came up with a (program) where residents were allowed to train in the demolition part with the goal that if they go through that, they would also see the re-construction part, and maybe have an interest in continuing with that,” said Carl Cannon, chairperson, PHA Board of Directors.
Officials say data on that is shared regularly with the local NAACP.
