WATTS, LOS ANGELES, June 19, 2020—Bringing key partners together in spirit, BRIDGE Housing celebrated the grand opening of Cedar Grove at Jordan Downs today with the release of a virtual ribbon-cutting video (https://vimeo.com/430391577). With 115 affordable apartments, Cedar Grove is the first completed phase of new residential construction for the revitalization of Jordan Downs, a 1950s-era public housing development in Watts.
“This was a safe way, during the pandemic, to honor the milestone and highlight the importance of home and community,” said Cynthia A. Parker, BRIDGE President and CEO. Joining Parker in the video are Deputy Mayor Brenda Shockley, Councilmember Joe Buscaino, Doug Guthrie of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), Jordan Downs Resident Advisory Council President Denise Richardson and a host of public- and private-sector partners.
The new homes at Cedar Grove are designed to a LEED Silver certification level, maximizing solar opportunities, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Amenities include a community room, in-unit laundry, a community park with BBQs, and on-site management
HACLA, in conjunction with residents and a broad spectrum of stakeholders, initiated a plan in 2008 to rebuild Jordan Downs into a mixed-use, mixed-income community that will serve as a national model for the renewal of public housing. The team of BRIDGE Housing and The Michaels Organization was selected as Master Developer of Jordan Downs in 2012.
The long-term, public-private effort will rebuild 700 units of distressed public housing and create at least 710 additional new homes with a range of affordability, along with a new community and recreation center, approximately 115,000 square feet of retail, nine acres of green space, and neighborhood programs and services to improve the lives of current and future generations.
Financial partners for Cedar Grove include HACLA, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (AHSC), Bank of America, Chase, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee. The property was designed by SVA Architects (architect of record) and Mithun, and the general contractor was Cannon Constructors South.
For more information about BRIDGE, visit www.bridgehousing.com.
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