Bulldozers and demolition crews rolled back into Grove Manor this week, kicking off the first visible phase of a long-planned overhaul of the aging public-housing neighborhood just north of downtown Lake Wales. For families who have spent decades in the low-rise duplexes, the noise is part relief, part reality check that the streets they know are about to change.
Construction crews are beginning the process of replacing the complex with a 210-unit affordable-housing community, a mix of apartments and single-family homes laid out to be more walkable and modern. Officials and residents say the project is meant to open up more options for lower-income families and seniors who are getting squeezed in the local rental market, according to Tampa Bay 28.
Funding and local backers
The Lake Wales Housing Authority has secured roughly $21 million in federal low-income housing tax credits to cover most of the redevelopment after multiple application rounds. The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency has earmarked $1 million for early design work, while Polk County signed off on about $1.5 million to support later stages of the build, according to City of Lake Wales records.
Residents react
For longtime tenants, the makeover is overdue. Patrick Walker, who has lived at Grove Manor for 35 years, said the duplexes are “old and have mold in them” and called the redevelopment “a long time coming.” Wanda Lawson, chair of the housing authority board, said the work is crucial as many renters in the area are scrambling to find decent, affordable places to live. Those comments were reported by Tampa Bay 28.
Phasing and relocation plans
City planning paperwork lays out a phased schedule for the rebuild. A Phase III packet filed with the city lists construction start in the first quarter of 2027, with completion and lease-up targeted for mid-2028, according to City of Lake Wales documents.
The Lake Wales Housing Authority says crews are already working on later phases and has relocated more than 30 households using housing-choice vouchers. Those families will get first crack at moving back into the new community once units are ready, MyNews13 reports.
How the project fits downtown
City leaders are pitching the Grove Manor overhaul as a keystone of the Lake Wales Connected plan, which is supposed to stitch the northwest neighborhood back into downtown with better sidewalks, new trail links and tree-lined streets. Planners say putting denser, affordable housing a short walk from the rebuilt Park Avenue should help keep customers flowing to nearby shops and restaurants, community advocates have noted. FOX 13 has covered those neighborhood goals.
Who’s building and what’s next
Project documents and local coverage list a team of regional partners, including Smith & Henzy and design work by GHA Architects, working alongside the Lake Wales Housing Authority to carry out the phased plan. Officials say the next big hurdles are final tax-credit underwriting, permit reviews and financial closings that will lock in the exact construction timeline and lease-up dates, according to Lake Wales News.
Residents with questions about relocation, waitlists or their chances of returning to the rebuilt community are being directed to contact the Lake Wales Housing Authority. The agency’s Grove Manor page posts contact details and ongoing project updates on the Lake Wales Housing Authority site.
