Whittaker Place Apartments
Project Impact
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Whittaker Place is one of the few historic hospitals in the United States built and designed by African American architects and physicians. Initially constructed in 1943, the hospital was a beacon of pride for the community in an era of Jim Crow and segregation. After the hospital relocated to a larger facility in 1985, the building fell into disrepair. Following decades of blight, the development of the Whittaker Place Apartments restored the building as a community asset to once again serve the needs of the neighborhood and residents.
This adaptive reuse and historic rehabilitation provides 67 homes for families living below 50-60% of the median income of the city. Each apartment features keyless entry, an in-unit washer and dryer and granite countertops. Amenities also include a community room, picnic and grilling area and a dog park. Given the building’s history, each unit is unique, and historic features were preserved including the large corridors, high ceilings, and ceramic wall tiles in the original labor and delivery rooms.
VCDC’s Housing Equity Fund of Virginia XXII provided over $3.7 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits and over $4.5 million in Historic Tax Credits to support this project. In addition, our CDFI lending affiliate, VCDF, provided $600,000 in bridge equity to support Whittaker Place through its conversion to permanent financing. Whittaker Place Apartments is VCDC’s 14th LIHTC partnership in Newport News and its 33rd in the greater Hampton Roads area.
Location:
Newport News, VA
Date of Closing:
August 2018
Development Partner:
John Biagas, Gerald Burr, Jr. and Eugene Thomas
Total Units:
67
Total Development Cost:
$14,362,190
Private Equity Invested:
$8,283,837
