NEWS

Coopermill Manor scheduled for near total renovation

Kate Snyder
Reporter

ZANESVILLE – On the cusp of a total renovation of Coopermill Manor, the first the apartment complex has had in more than 30 years, residents have mixed emotions about the project.

Becky Worthington, resident of Coopermill Manor, talks about the impending renovations of the apartment complex at her home. Worthington has lived at Coopermill Manor more than six years.

Construction is scheduled to start in the fall and last for 15 months. All residents will have to move at least once during the renovation, prompting some to see the upgrade as more of a hassle than anything else.

Coopermill Manor is the oldest public housing available through Zanesville Metropolitan Housing Association. It has 324 units and 98 percent occupancy. Some infrastructure issues need to be addressed if the apartments are going to remain viable for habitation.

"We can't afford in this community to lose this (unit)," said Steve Randles, ZMHA director.

ZMHA has set a goal of $36 million, through grant funds and private donations. Renovations include replacing windows, doors and fixtures red;oing all the floors; upgrading the sewer system for the whole complex; expanding 15 existing apartments into disability-compatible units; and expanding the kitchen space, including installing larger ovens and refrigerators.

That's what Becky Worthington is most looking forward to — that larger kitchen.

There is one counter along a wall, and much of it is taken up by a sink and stovetop. The oven is going to be upgraded as well to a full-size, which many residents, including Worthington, are pleased about.

"If you just give me one more counter, I'd be a happy woman," she said.

Worthington has lived in the manor for several years. She's retired on disability now and lives alone after a 35-year nursing career. Her grandmother lived in the manor during the 1930s and her sister lived here in the 1960s.

"I like the manor," she said. "I think it's a fabulous place to live."

Back then, she said there were regular, monthly inspections. But now budgets are getting so tight and money is spread so thin, inspections are much more infrequent.

The upcoming renovation is possible through a federal program allowing public housing units to switch their classifications from public housing to a Section 8-type voucher program.

The program is called the Rental Assistance Demonstration and has never been available before. Initially, two years ago, 60,000 units nationwide were approved, including Coopermill Manor, to take part. In 2014, the list was expanded to 180,000.

"The whole idea is to utilize public and private financing to rehabilitate or renovate existing public housing," Randles said.

Typically, public housing is subsidized through three routes: tenant rent, operating funds from HUD and capital improvement funds from HUD, which is often not enough to cover the capital improvements needed.

A view of Becky Worthington's Coopermill Manor home. The apartment complex is receiving a renovation for the first time in more than 30 years. Some of the proposed renovations include replacing windows, doors and fixtures; new floors, upgrading the sewer system for the complex and larger ovens, refrigerators and kitchen space.

"HUD doesn't have enough money to address the backlog of maintenance issues," Randles said.

By switching classification, former public housing units can continue to provide homes for low-income families as well as seek private funding for capital improvements.

The way construction is slated to work is that families will move out of their apartments into already-renovated apartments. The first few residents to move would have to move twice. Coopermill Manor has temporarily stopped moving in new families to make that reorganization possible and has about 40 to 50 vacant units.

Most will not get their original apartment back, but they will get a comparable apartment — same number of bedrooms, same size.

Some residents, though, are happy with the apartment complex the way it is.

Patrick Benjamin has lived at Coopermill Manor alone for six years, works long hours as a sanitation worker and just wants to come home after work and relax in an apartment he has had no problems in.

Benjamin doesn't want to move and doesn't see why it's necessary.

"I'm comfy," he said. "I like where I'm at."

And some are irritated at the lack of information available about the renovation. ZMHA has hosted three residential meetings in the past several months to inform residents on what is happening as well as gain input on what residents would like changed.

But not everyone can make the meetings.

Christina Napier has a young daughter and lives in the manor with her fiance, who works. Napier didn't know much about the construction, but was excited about getting a larger kitchen.

"That would be nice," she said. "It's hard to even do dishes."

A view of some of the apartments at the Coopermill Manor in Zanesville. The apartment complex is receiving a renovation for the first time in more than 30 years. Some of the proposed renovations include replacing windows, doors and fixtures, new floors, upgrading the sewer system for the complex and larger ovens, refrigerators and kitchen space.

She said she wished, though, the ZMHA would do more to get the word out about what exactly is happening. She and her family moved to their apartment in January and doesn't really want to move again so soon after moving in.

"I want to keep my apartment, if it's an option," she said.

Initially, months ago when the administrators were discussing a possible renovation with residents, the plan was to move families out of their apartments temporarily, renovate the apartments, then move them back in.

And while staff is working to take individual needs into account, there's no guarantee that any residents will get their original apartments back after the renovation.

RAD comes with a 20-year commitment and after that is renewable for an additional 20 years.

Once those 40 years are up, Randles said Coopermill will be more than 100 years old and will likely have to be retired as an apartment complex. Future administrators will have to figure out what to do. But RAD can help it be sustainable for those 40 years.

The reputation at Coopermill Manor isn't the best in the community, Worthington said, but a complete renovation might be able to help change that.

"If you give someone something nice, chances are they'll treat it nice," she said.

ksnyder2@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

740-450-6752

Twitter: @KL_Snyder