On Oct. 25, St. Johns County, in partnership with Turnstone Development Corp., held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of an affordable housing development project named Victoria Crossing, located at 75 Stephanie Lane, St. Augustine.
The ceremony began with remarks from Turnstone Development Corp. representatives, including Board Secretary/Director Maze Jackson, Interim Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Sue Wiemer, and Development Consultant Alison Culvard. St. Johns County District 3 Commissioner Roy Alaimo also spoke at the event.
“Victoria Crossing is about building a better quality of life for those in need of a safe, affordable and reliable place to call home,” Alaimo said. “As the demand for affordable housing continues to grow here in St. Johns County, this project is another example of how the Board of County Commissioners is working with smart-growth-focused developers to create attainable housing opportunities. Today, we celebrate another project to help bridge the gap on the issue of affordable housing. Last year, we celebrated the completion of San Marco Heights, with 132 apartments, and today we celebrate the completion of Victoria Crossing, with 96 units.”
A ceremonial ribbon-cutting was performed, which included Alaimo, St. Johns County Housing and Community Development Division representatives and Turnstone Development Corp. representatives, including Jackson, Wiemer and Culvard.
Funding for the project includes a $15 million, 40-year forgivable loan from St Johns County funded by a Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery Grant from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department through the Florida Department of Commerce. In addition, $14 million was funded through a mix of tax-exempt funds from the St Johns County Housing Finance Authority and private equity funding.
Based on income, the current monthly rental rates at Victoria Crossing range from $375 to $873 per month for a one-bedroom unit, $440 to $1,038 for a two-bedroom unit, and $490 to $1,180 for a three-bedroom unit. The current rental rates at Victoria Crossing are less than half of the rental market rate in the same area.
In addition to providing needed housing, the development of the property preserved four acres of wetlands. The community is gated and fenced, and buffered from State Road 207 by a traffic circle that includes a public bus stop.
There are a total of 96 affordable housing units located at Victoria Crossing. The property is located near services that will be beneficial to the residents, including schools, churches, pharmacies, a veterinary hospital, car repair shops and stores, including Publix, Target, Winn-Dixie, PetSmart, Lowe's and CVS.
Victoria Crossing has 24 one-bedroom/one-bath units, 42 two-bedroom/two-bath units, and 30 three-bedroom/two-bath units. All of the units include an open balcony or patio with private storage. The unit amenities include walk-in closets in all master bedrooms, washer/dryer hookups, a large kitchen pantry, appliances, low-flow water fixtures in all bathrooms, and 15 SEER HVAC systems with programmable thermostats.
The entire community meets the Florida Green Building Coalition construction and energy efficiency standards.
The common amenities include:
