Residents Return to Beecher Terrace Senior Apartments
Residents have begun moving back to the Beecher Terrace Senior Apartments. The building, designed for residents 55+, is the first Beecher Terrace property to open its doors. Beecher Terrace is located in Louisville’s Russell Neighborhood and is undergoing a billion-dollar revitalization. Half of the new units are set aside for former residents, with no increase in rent.
Since the move-in began the first week of February, the Beecher Terrace Senior Apartments have been well received by residents. One of the first new residents is Ms. Valarie Morris, who describes her new home as a blessing. “Moving to Beecher Terrace has lifted my spirit up. I thank God every day for the move here. I feel so much better, I sleep so much better at night knowing I’m in a safe place. Being here is a blessing.”
One month in, Beecher Terrace Senior Apartments are starting to feel like home. Last week, Ms. Morris hosted a small family gathering to celebrate her great-granddaughter's ninth birthday. “My granddaughter just loves my new home. She says ‘Granny, now this is you. You have a really nice place’. And my great-granddaughter never wanted to come over to my old place. Now she wants to sleep over and stay with me on the weekends."
Ms. Morris cites the modern amenities, contemporary design, and the location along major bus lines as her favorite parts of her new apartment. “I actually met one of the architects last month. I told her that she and her team did a beautiful job. I mean it is awesome, I have never seen a high-rise building like this.”
Ms. Morris learned about the opportunity to move to Beecher Terrace through her case managers from Urban Strategies Inc. “My caseworkers have been a major help, they walked me through the entire process from learning about the building, taking a tour, completing all the paperwork. I really appreciate Urban Strategies”.
Prior to the new Beecher Terrace Senior Apartments, Ms. Morris described her living situation as ‘not a good place’. The threat of violence, lack of access to transportation and nearby stores, and the bustle of young families took its toll on her.
For Ms. Morris, the decision to move into the new Beecher Terrace Senior Apartments was an easy one. “Once I had the chance to tour the unit, I was like oh wow this is a luxury high-rise unit. This is beautiful,” said Morris.
Ms. Morris moved into the Beecher Terrace Senior Apartments on February 5th, the second resident to move in. The community has since grown to around 20 residents. “I have had a chance to meet quite a few of my new neighbors. It’s great that they are all folks about my age. Very nice people and it's a nice quiet environment”.
The move into Beecher begins a new chapter for Ms. Morris, a Louisville native. In the 12th grade, she dropped out of high school. She worked odd jobs, and in the 1990s she returned to school, earning her GED. The importance of education is something the single mother passed on to her children and grandchildren. “My kids’ education was very important. My dream was for each of them to grow up to be independent, have good jobs, and not be reliant on anyone. I must have done a good job because all of my kids all graduated from high school and they all have great jobs. Now each of my grandkids has also graduated from high school.”
What would she tell others thinking about moving back to Beecher Terrace? “If you have the opportunity to move here, take it. Come visit and take a tour. You will see it’s very nice and has a lot to offer.”
