DeSales Community Development plans a mixed-use development at Virginia and Eiler in the Carondelet neighborhood called Virginia Plaza. It aims to provide mixed-income housing, commercial space, and amenities for the community. It is a combination of rehabs and new construction. The architect is Naismith-Allen Inc. The general contractor is Roanoke Construction. Project website. DeSales submitted a zoning-only building permit application last week to evaluate what zoning variances it might need.
The plan has a total of 78 housing units, with 8 renting at market-rate, 58 at 60% of the area median income, and 12 at 30% AMI.
The primary new build is a two-story building at the corner of Virginia and Eiler with commercial on the ground floor and 24 apartments. It will replace a low-productivity auto-oriented vacant retail building and parking lot. To the north is a playground and another new building- an 18-unit apartment building.
5333 and 5401 Virginia will be rehabbed into apartments. A new 8 unit apartment building will go to the north at 5323 Virginia.
Six two-families on the 5300 block of Compton will be rehabbed. Across Compton will be two sets of 4 new townhomes.
DeSales was approved for $2.5M in federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs), $2.7M in HOME grants, and won a $500k CDA housing award in 2024. The LCRA board recommended 10 years of 90% property tax abatement plus five more years at 50% in November of 2023. Two of the buildings were LRA-owned. Total project cost is $25M. DeSales hopes to have it finished in 2026.
It will be a great improvement over current conditions!
