W-S city council approves funding to renovate Willie Davis Drive and Cleveland Avenue housing

by Gale Melcher

Renovations for the apartments at Willie Davis Drive and Cleveland Avenue in Winston-Salem were approved by city council on Monday evening.

The city will spend up to $750,000 to renovate both buildings, “based upon the bidding process and subsequent contract approval by city council.”

In February, residents of two city-owned, affordable-housing buildings — 1200 Willie Davis Drive and 1635 N. Cleveland Ave. in Winston-Salem’s Northeast Ward — received letters from the city stating that they must move out by May 31 in order for the city to perform an “assessment” and renovate both buildings. Following pushback from residents and community activists, the city allowed the residents to stay in their homes while the assessments were conducted. The city has not charged the residents rent since March 1. Currently, residents pay $420-$475 per month.

Residents also worried about whether rent for the refurbished apartments would increase. The resolution adds that there will be an option to evaluate the leases before the lease expiration date for “possible increases of an incremental nature.”

Assistant City Manager Patrice Toney told TCB in mid-March that building repairs were “not likely to raise the rent.”

In addition to the $750,000 spending budget authorized at Monday’s council meeting, 1-year leases were also approved for the tenants, who would continue to be charged their current rental rate. The new leases begin on June 1 and end on May 31, 2024. Additionally, the contract with the current property management company, Majestic Premier Property Management, will be extended.

What will renovations look like?

ortheast Ward representative Barbara Hanes Burke said that the goal will be to “rehab the properties completely, not make minor repairs,” so that they are consistent with other properties that are part of the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative in that area. In 2020, the city received a $30 million grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the investment will be used to construct and renovate hundreds of housing units in the Cleveland Avenue area. The groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held in December. Burke added that the same appliances and flooring as those other properties that are part of the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative will be used to rehabilitate 1200 Willie Davis Drive and 1635 Cleveland Ave.

“The beautification efforts will be consistent up and down Cleveland Avenue,” Burke said.

How is this impacting residents?

Northwest Ward representative Jeff MacIntosh said that while he’s grateful that the residents’ leases have been extended, he’s not comfortable with the city’s plan for the residents “long-term.”

MacIntosh added that he would like to have an ongoing discussion about whether it’s in “both the tenants’ best interest and the city’s best interest to keep these properties owned by the city of Winston-Salem.”

If the city sells the property, future lease terms and rent rate could be redefined by the new owner. Regarding concerns that the property could be sold, Assistant City Manager Patrice Toney told TCB on Monday that there’s a difference of opinions, noting that “some of the councilmembers do not want to be in the property management business…. Do we keep it and manage it, or do we sell it?” Toney added that something city officials could agree upon “is at least some stability for the residents, at least for a year.”

MacIntosh and Robert Clark voted against the resolution.

Willie Davis Drive resident Cynthia Herson spoke during the meeting’s public comment period, voicing concerns over the decision-making process and future of the residents.

“We’ve got senior citizens that live in my building,” Herson said, adding that the majority of the people who live at the properties are on fixed-income.

Residents and social activists had previously come to a city council meeting in February to ask city officials to freeze the rate of their rent.

Herson said that residents were not included in the decision-making process. “That’s where the problem lies,” Herson said on Monday.

In a press release from the city, Burke said that “communications have occurred with the tenants through their attorney” out of respect for the attorney-client relationship and she wants current residents to be able to stay in the properties for as many years as they desire.

Dan Rose, organizer of Winston-Salem based housing rights advocacy group Housing Justice Now, echoed Herson’s concerns.

“The biggest problem of all is that you’re not talking to the residents,” Rose said.

450 springhousenc.com

Highlights of the Spring Menu at Spring House

As its name portends, Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar shines during those months when the flowers bloom and the warm air is alive with birdsong. This year’s Spring Menu reflects those currents of the season with dishes heavy on local ingredients and custom.

Many will opt to start a night at Spring House with a cocktail, either in the Library Bar or any of the appointed indoor and outdoor dining spaces. Perhaps a Cucumber, Thyme and Lime Cooler to cut the heat? Or a Berry-Hibiscus Bourbon Smash to ease the transition from work to play? Tiki drinks with fresh citrus, house classics and seasonal specials round out the menu, with a curated beer menu and healthy slate of non-alcoholic offerings on the list.

Starters and small plates can lean towards the decadent. A house-made Fois Gras Mousse needs little more than a drop of jam atop a crostini for a small, savory bite. Lobster Bisque, a perennial favorite, becomes accented with shrimp dumplings. But don’t miss the Crispy Pork Belly “Burnt Ends,” which may be blasphemy to barbecue purists, but they stand out among a list of exceptional dishes.

Spring entrées include a grilled pork chop treated with braised red cabbage and a mustard cream sauce. Yellow curry balances a cut of grilled salmon, with sweet potatoes and beet-orange relish. A rosemary pan-reduction sauce graces a Filet Mignon tender enough to be cut with a butter knife, also served with a wild-mushroom flan. Lamb, trout, catfish and crepes also make appearances in the Big Plates section of the dinner menu.

But nothing encompasses the springtime like dessert, that sweet reward at the end of the journey. Spring House anchors its dessert menu with the Salted Caramel Banana Pudding, a fine example of the form with a dollop of sweet cream to bring it together. The Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, a St. Louis staple, lives up to its name, while the Spring House Bread Pudding is purely Southern in its execution, with toasted pecans and