Anderson has turned a long-vacant historic apartment building into a fresh source of affordable housing, unveiling Topper Terrace on Friday after a six-year rehabilitation effort. The former Lincolnshire Apartments now contains 32 homes, including 21 one-bedroom apartments and 11 studios, with the project dedicated to late community servant Terry “Topper” Taylor.
In a Friday post, the City of Anderson Government said Mayor Thomas Broderick Jr. congratulated the Anderson Housing Authority, its leadership, staff and community partners. Broderick also emphasized that Anderson needs more affordable housing, a need the renovated building is intended to address.
The project marks the return of a property that had been sitting empty for roughly a decade before the Anderson Housing Authority acquired it in 2021. Indiana Public Radio reported in March that the renovation was expected to cost about $5 million and included new windows, flooring and bathrooms, along with the removal of lead and asbestos.
The financing reflects the complicated path from vacant historic property to usable housing. The city said its redevelopment contribution exceeded $1.8 million and included funds from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, while Star Financial Bank provided significant financial backing; Anderson’s ARPA program was created to support recovery efforts that included affordable and workforce housing.
Townsend and Kevin Sulc, the housing authority’s chief operating officer, credited the Anderson Redevelopment Commission, the city’s municipal development department, the Anderson Historic Preservation Commission, local contractors and other project partners. The housing authority identifies Kimberly Townsend as its executive director and Sulc as its COO.
A Housing Project Named For A Community Builder
Taylor’s name connects the new apartments to another Anderson revival effort. The city’s July newsletter says Taylor worked with the city’s Parks Department to bring back the Anderson Soap Box Derby, helping lead efforts that restored Derby Downs and reestablished racing after a long hiatus.
The need for the apartments was already clear before the new name was announced. In the March report, Townsend said the authority had seen people remain on the streets because they could not find housing, adding that one-bedroom apartments in Anderson tend to stay full.
Topper Terrace now gives the city 32 more homes while preserving a historic property that might otherwise have remained vacant. It is a small but tangible addition to Anderson’s affordable-housing supply, built through a partnership that stretched across city government, the housing authority, financial institutions and local contractors.
