Company wants to develop senior housing complex in Leesburg

LEESBURG _ The Lee County Planning and Zoning Board approved a rezoning request from Mossy Dell Inc. Tuesday evening that may lead to the construction of a 50-unit apartment community inside the City of Leesburg.

If approved by the Leesburg City Council, the apartment complex for senior citizens would likely be constructed. Mossy Dell Inc.,which has John Henry Beauchamp listed as president, is working with Atlanta-based Peachtree Housing Partners pm the 23.4-acre tract of land located south of Leesburg’s Post Office on Robert B. Lee Drive at the dead end of Park Street.

The Planning and Zoning Board recommended the land be rezoned from C-2 General Business District to R-2 Multiple Family Residential. The Leesburg City Council will conduct a public hearing on the issue at 6 p.m. on May 6 during its regular monthly meeting.

Josh Thomason, a principal with Peachtree Housing Partners, has experienced success developing housing for senior citizens in Lee County in the past. Now, he wants to duplicate that success inside the City of Leesburg. Thomason plans to direct the development of the 50 units for residents 55 and older near an area that is experiencing considerable growth.

Thomason said Park Senior Village would be a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom rental units. The one-bedroom units have 832 square feet of space with the two-bedroom units covering 1,037 square feet.

The land is located just south of the Post Office beginning at the dead end of Park Lane and extending south to Northwood subdivision and east to the Norfolk Southern Railroad right of way.

“We’re basically planning to take the product we developed in Lee County and replicate the same project on the Leesburg property,” Thomason said.

The company previously built Forrester Senior Village on Forrester Parkway about a third of a mile off U.S.Highway 19 South. The apartments at Forrester have washer and dryer connections and all kitchen appliances furnished. The development also has a community center, a computer library, fitness center and laundry facility.

Leesburg City Manager Bob Alexander said the company will compete with other housing applications across the state to qualify for tax credits from the Department of Community Affairs.

“We hope to receive approval of financing in November,” Thomason said. “Then we can start construction in the second quarter of 2015.”

Thomason said construction likely will take 10 to 12 months. Bobby Donley, director of engineering for Lanier Engineering, said construction could begin by June 2015.

Albany real estate developer William Hancock, who is representing the property owners, discussed the plans with members of the Leesburg City Council at the group’s April meeting. Several council members expressed support for the senior housing project.