PULASKI COUNTY, Va. – Times are changing in Pulaski - leaders are looking to transform a former school facility into a space for affordable housing.
Because of the changing landscape in town right now, construction crews are busy replacing waterlines.
“I have seen changes along Main Street, they’re trying to bring in new mom-and-pop businesses in,” Regean Atkins, who lives in Pulaski County, said.
Atkins works at Tom’s Drive-In and loves seeing the redevelopment in the area, like a new bike park.
“I think it’s really cool,” Atkins said.
Ashlyn Shrewsbury is Pulaski County’s Project Manager. She’s overseeing “Pulaski Lofts.”
Their goal is to transform the former Pulaski Middle School, which includes classrooms, the gymnasium, and an auditorium, into 102 apartment units and some lofts. The total project costs about $18 million.
“I think it’s something that we’re really excited to work with developers on,” Shrewsbury said.
County leaders said they have mostly completed the remediation process at the former middle school. The next step is going into redevelopment.
“The school is just a gem,” Pulaski County Administrator Jonathan Sweet said.
Sweet said the lofts are one of the larger development projects in the county and said the goal is to alleviate the housing shortage while at the same time attracting people to the area.
“Really excited by this because it’s a huge component of our 40 by 30 initiative, it’s going to offer over 100 apartment units and lofts which is a product offering for our county, we hope to attract young professionals, provide more affordable housing,” Sweet said.