Rebuilding a New Tomorrow - Historic Preservation of Coffelt-Lamoreaux

About the Program

Category: Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

The Housing Authority of Maricopa County (HAMC), in collaboration with other public, private and non-profit organizations, initialized and spearheaded an effort to save a devastated public housing community. Coffelt-Lamoreaux (Coffelt), a public housing community located in southwest Phoenix was doomed to be demolished. The condition of the 38-acre property, which consist of 1950s barracks-style housing, was so dismal it was necessary for the HAMC to consider demolishing the property and moving the residents elsewhere. However, the residents and the community felt otherwise and requested the HAMC to consider other options versus the disposing of the property. Eventually, the HAMC, and its co-development partner, worked with both the State Historic Preservation Office and the National Parks Service to place the Coffelt-Lamoreaux Public Housing site on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2014, Coffelt-Lamoreaux was designated as a Historic Place. In order to preserve this historic property, the HAMC, in partnership with Gorman & Company, Inc, have begun renovation. The renovation will basically replace everything from the floors to the roof while preserving the exterior facade of the buildings. Perhaps the most exciting aspect is that the new development will provide or substantially improve access to many of those basic and essential services long out of reach for the community.