Alachua County’s plan to transform two former motels in southwest Gainesville into permanent supportive housing is nearing completion.
Originally projected to be completed by end of September, the Scottish and Budget inns just south of the corner of Southwest 13th Street and Williston Road are now expected to be fully renovated by mid-November and Dec. 24, respectively.
“Once you reach substantial (completion), within a week we provide the contractor with a punch list and have 30 days to work through it to get it on final completion,” Alachua County Facilities Management Director Travis Parker said of the Budget Inn’s Christmas Eve completion date.
At a total cost of $4.6 million, Gray Construction Services is the contractor tasked with renovating the Budget Inn’s 36 one-bedroom units. The Budget Inn will now be called East Tumblin Creek, and each unit will feature a bedroom, kitchenette, bathroom and small living space. Additionally, a new fire sprinkler system was installed to bring the building up to code.
Ulloa Management Group is leading the $4.1 million renovation of the 31 units at the Scottish Inn, which will now be called Forest Edge. Planned upgrades include a new fire sprinkler system, updated mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure, new roofing, and the installation of bathrooms, kitchenettes, new flooring, windows and doors.
Each will have a manager’s office and designated areas for laundry and community events.
“We gave them not a ton of time so they’ve (contractors) been working pretty hard trying to get through it,” Parker said of the contractors.
The Alachua County Commission approved the purchase of the Budget Inn in November 2020 for $2.2 million and subsequently the adjacent Scottish Inn in 2023 for around $1.8 million, with funding coming from the American Rescue Plan Act.
The county said in a May press release that the units will be a mix of permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing, with services determined by assessed need. Rapid rehousing is housing that provides short-term (up to three months) and medium-term (four to 24 months) tenant-based rental assistance and supportive services to households experiencing homelessness.
Permanent supportive housing occurs when housing assistance (such as long-term leasing or rental assistance) and supportive services are provided to assist households with at least one member (adult or child) with a disability in achieving housing stability.
“Transforming motels into homes is a powerful step toward restoring dignity, stability, and hope for our most vulnerable residents,” said Community Support Services Director Claudia Tuck in a May press release.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Renovation of former Gainesville motels nearing completion, to house county’s ‘most vulnerable’
Reporting by Elliot Tritto, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
