Cornerstone West CDC is working to bring affordable housing options to seniors on Wilmington’s West Side.
The Vistas is a 57-unit, energy efficient housing project set to be built behind St. Francis Hospital on top of an existing parking garage using a strategy called adaptive reuse.
Sarah Lester, President and CEO of Cornerstone West CDC, says that helps to solve some of the biggest issues facing affordable housing developers, including lack of space to build.
“We are very conscious of the impact on the neighborhood, and because it's an existing structure, and really built consistently with the neighborhood in mind, it's a win-win-win,” said Lester. “So we're building affordable housing, we're providing services for seniors right there with the hospital and other resources in the neighborhood, and we are building on the neighborhood aesthetic and being consistent with how the community looks and feels.”
The project is a part of the St. Francis Healthy Village model, which aims to improve the neighborhoods surrounding the hospital, and enhance the quality of life for those living there.
Cornerstone West CDC is seeking $2.8 million for the project in the form of a federal Community Project Funding grant for FY 2024.
Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester’s office is handling that request, and its fate lies with Congress passing a new budget for FY2024.
Blunt Rochester says she hopes to further support the work being done on the West Side with the bipartisan Housing Supply and Affordability Act, a bill she introduced last month that would create a Local Housing Policy grant program.
“These are going to be planning grants for cities and states to really deal with issues of creating more housing, and also breaking down barriers and exclusionary zoning that prevent the building of affordable housing,” explained Blunt Rochester.
The Vistas project is still in its early phases, and is seeking support on multiple levels, including community partnerships and funding.
