LOUISVILLE, Ky. — New plans are in the works for a complex of downtown Louisville high-rise towers some residents said have been plagued with problems.
Some Dosker Manor residents said in they’ve had to deal with issues including bugs, rodents and mold.
Keith Gregory, Louisville Metro Housing Authority’s deputy executive director of operations, said there are years of capital needs that haven’t been addressed, including being under-funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is besides systemic issues with the property that make it a difficult complex to renovate.
The building was built in the 1960s, which means the complex is built to older codes, doesn’t have modern amenities or a way to add modern amenities, LMHA said.
“These are families that are in these units that are truly in living conditions that don’t meet today’s living standards,” Gregory said. “The general answer we get from people is, ‘Please help me find someplace to be.’ And ultimately, yes, we should tear this down and build something that’s more modern, that better fits people’s lives today.”
Around the complex, Antonette Hickman is known as “The Cake Lady.” She’s known for her flavorful creations such as a Mountain Dew cake.
“They like my work, and I like doing it, too, because it’s fun,” Hickman said.
She has lived at Dosker Manor for more than a year and said she has had no problems. The rent fits her budget. However, she’s well-aware of the conditions some of her neighbors experience.
“Some of the apartments in here are so bad, it’s not worth living in,” Hickman said. “I wouldn’t want to live in it.”
Dosker Manor was built in 1968 and has over 600 units. Hickman said she knows exactly what she wants to happen to the place.
“This building needs to be torn down (and) rebuilt,” she said. “That’s my opinion, and I’m pretty sure a lot of other tenants will agree with me because this building is so old.”
Tearing down Dosker Manor is one option on the table, Gregory said.
“We’re really starting to put together our plan of what we’re going to do next at Dosker,” Gregory said. “We’re kind of running at full speed, trying to get everything Dosker-related addressed and taken care of.”
“Ultimately, the short version of that story is Dosker’s coming down, and we’re going to put up something better in the future.”
Along with re-development plans, Gregory said LMHA is now looking for development partners while seeking ideas for replacement housing. He added some residents want senior housing while others want housing tied into the nearby medical community.
“The one thing I can say is, we want to see affordable housing back on that site,” Gregory said. “That’s a guarantee.”
Gregory said all families living at Dosker will be moved, which the LMHA will handle. Residents will have a choice in where they will move and have input, Gregory added.
Hickman said she recently attended an update meeting in her building and knows where she’d like to live.
“I’ve heard that Liberty Green is nice to live,” she said. “It’s a lot better than (the) living conditions over here. I’ve never been over there, but I would like to go over there and find out.”
If she’s able, Hickman added, she’d like to come back and live in whatever replaces Dosker Manor.
LMHA is getting interest from developers right now. This will continue until June, when proposals will be reviewed. Resident meetings are occurring through early summer.
Gregory said anything redevelopment-wise likely won’t happen until 2025, and late 2025 or early 2026 is when physical construction should start.