Liberty View HOPE VI Program
Danville, Virginia

Project Owner: City of Danville Housing Authority
www.danvilleha.org 

Services Provided: ConstructionManagement;Master Planning

The HOPE (Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere) VI Program serves a crucial role in the effort of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to transform Public Housing. Initiated in 1992, the HOPE VI Program was established in response to recommendations by the National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing, for the revitalization of public housing in three general areas: management improvements, physical improvements, and social and community services to address residents’ needs.

Through this program, the Housing Authority of the City of Danville, Virginia sought help in revitalizing some of their troubled areas consisting mainly of multi-family projects built in the 1970’s.  The Federal Government agreed to issue tax credits as an incentive to replace these poor living conditions with 400 new single-family homes, but set very strict guidelines on how and when this was to be accomplished. Divided into four phases, the project quickly fell behind schedule and the Housing Authority found themselves over budget and out of compliance and thus, unable to receive the Federal tax credits.  Knowing that construction delays cost them dearly, the Housing Authority now understood the importance of having a professional construction management team, and chose ACS DESIGN to provide an assortment of sorely needed professional services.

ACS DESIGN provided Master Planning & Construction Management services for this 200-unit section of the Liberty View HOPE IV redevelopment project in Danville, Virginia for Cornerstone Housing of Columbia, Maryland. From the first day of signing, ACS DESIGN Construction Managers were on site making evaluations, establishing new budgets and methods of construction, bringing new competitive subcontractors on board, performing value engineering, developing computer aided construction schedules, reviewing and rewriting contracts, implementing and enforcing liquidated damages, and scheduling weekly construction meetings. Acting as the liaison between the Housing Authority, Federal Government, Local Government, Developer, two General Contractors, architects, engineers, Building Departments, and Lenders, ACS Design implemented the necessary changes to complete the project on time and the Housing Authority received their much needed tax credits.

ACS providing oversight for the construction of approximately200 new homes with associated major site improvements including streets (curb-gutter-sidewalk), water, sewer, storm sewer, bulk grading, etc.  The project lasted for over two years and had a composite construction budget of well over $15 million.