- Concerns have grown in St. Johns over the Wilson Center project.
- After some neighbors noticed that no work has been done on the outside of the building, worries started to set in.
- Video shows Mayor Scott Dzurka addressing the issue and the timeline of the project.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
I'm your St. Johns neighborhood reporter, Russell Shellberg, here at the Wilson Center. From the outside, it looks like no advancements have been made on the project, which is causing concerns among neighbors and has them asking for answers.
It's been over a year since I last visited the Wilson Center, a project that will bring new apartments, community space, an auditorium, and a gymnasium to the area. Off camera, I heard neighbors expressing worry after noticing little progress on the exterior. So, I decided it was time to get some answers.
"What's been going on is really two things. One is remediation," said St. johns Mayor, Scott Dzurka.
Mayor Dzurka explains that remediation work is underway, which involves cleaning the building of asbestos and other long-standing contaminants. According to Dzurka, this process is about 95% complete. But the next phase, he says, is where things got a bit tangled.
"We found that with the developer Dymaxion, they had an opportunity to leverage historical tax credits. This means they can secure additional resources, like another million dollars, to invest into the building," said Dzurka.
These historical tax credits are a game-changer. They come from preserving key features like original hallways, windows, and entrances. This not only maintains the building's historic charm but also honors its past for everyone who remembers it.
"They want to see this building preserved, and I think it's a great way for us to repurpose it and maximize its historical recognition," said Dzurka.
Looking ahead, Dzurka says we can expect the community spaces to open their doors a year from now, though the timeline for the apartments is still being worked out due to historical preservation.
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