Columbia housing project could generate millions for minority, women businesses
The Columbia Housing Authority is looking for small, minority and women owned businesses to help build a $60 million housing complex on the site of the former Gonzales Gardens public housing project.
“We’re striving for a goal to award $13.5 million of construction work to the minority, women and small business organizations here in the community,” Cindi Herrera, the housing authority’s senior vice president for development and procurement, said at a workshop for prospective contractors on Tuesday.
The housing authority will partner with Mungo Construction and Washington, D.C., based UrbanMatters Development on the 285-unit project, called “The Oaks at St. Anna’s Park.”
Herrera said Mungo Construction will be required to submit reports to the housing authority to ensure that 30% of the $45 million in construction costs are being awarded to small businesses and minority and women owned businesses.
Ivory Mathews, CEO of the Housing Authority, said other projects of this scale typically aim for around 15% of construction costs going to diverse contractors.
“Though our goal is aggressive, we felt it was doable in our community because we have the talent here locally,” she said.
Ronald Taylor, president of the South Carolina chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors, said he was excited to see this level of commitment from the housing authority.
“Work is so competitive now especially with the virus going on so we really appreciate them doing this outreach and providing opportunities for minority owned businesses.”
Bids for a range of trades including masonry, siding, roofing and plumbing will be accepted beginning on Wednesday. The deadline to submit bids is Jan. 26, and crews are expected to break ground by April 15.
Plans for the project, located between Forrest Drive and Washington Street across from Providence Hospital, were first unveiled in June. The complex will include 152 townhomes and one multistory building with 95 senior apartments.
“This is a very exciting project and not just because of the economic impact,” Herrera said, “It’s providing a much needed affordable housing resource in our community that will be here for many, many years to come.”
