Plans for affordable apartments at Orlando hotel aim to reduce crime in area
Orlando city leaders revealed plans to turn a decades-old hotel into an apartment complex at a community meeting on Monday, and people who live nearby hope it will not only bring more affordable homes but also reduce crime in the neighborhood.
"The shots are going off, and the homeless have nowhere to go because the Salvation Army is closed," a resident, Lori Carroll shared during the public meeting.
Carroll lives near Ambassador Hotel on Colonial Drive.
When she moved there six years ago, she said the landlord wasn't taking care of things.
"There were mattresses and prostitution right next to me," Carroll said. "As far as the Ambassador Hotel was concerned, it was going on back there too."
The managing partner at One Stop Housing, Mark Vengroff, recently purchased the hotel to turn it into Palm Gardens Apartments.
One hundred fifty family units will consist of studios and two bedrooms.
The property manager will live on site.
The renovation will cost about $7 million.
"That would include completely gutting it," Vengroff said. "All new plumbing, all new electric, all new appliances and full kitchens."
Once the groundwork starts in August, it'll be the eighth hotel Vengroff's company has transformed into affordable housing.
The company owns more than 3,000 units, most of which are located in Florida.
"Sadly enough, we don't have to reach out to too many people because we have a waiting list on all our properties," Vengroff said.
Residents like Carroll have complained about crime around Ambassador Hotel.
"I'd like to hear on the other side of my fence the laughter of kids instead of the yelling and screaming and the gunshots – what I hear now," Vengroff said.
Orlando Commissioner Regina Hill believes the problems increased after the hotel added an extended stay option a few years ago.
"I truly believe it was poor management, poor security, not really taking funds and doing maintenance," Hill said.
To increase safety, the developer wants to add security cameras and lighting throughout the property including building a 6 to 8-foot tall fence around the building.
"I like that he is going to possibly have some inner-city workings on getting people jobs for the community because that's what it needs," Carroll said. "It's left behind, that whole area gets left behind."
The next community meeting is May 18 at College Park Neighborhood Center at 6:30 p.m.
City council will vote on funding support in June.