Public housing complex set for redevelopment hits historic holdup

A Winston-Salem public housing complex may soon be redeveloped, but a historic property designation could alter plans.

Cleveland Avenue Homes is eligible for inclusion on the National Historic Register of Places. 

Still, the city is recommending demolition and new construction. It would use money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, and the CHOICE Neighborhood Initiative Grant programs.

The Housing Authority of Winston-Salem, or HAWS, manages the property. It’s in consultation with the city, historic preservation representatives, and real estate development firm McCormack Baron Salazar, to determine the next course of action.

The public is also being asked to comment, through March 10.

One option being proposed is creating a catalog of historical records documenting the effects of post-New-Deal federal legislation on Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. This would include looking at the impact of things like the construction of interstate highways, public housing, and urban renewal.

The property cannot be redeveloped without demolishing 40 buildings, which represent 244 residences, and one non-residential building.