I never knew how long the public housing development was there, either, until I saw the photo at right, which appeared in the Lorain Journal on Feb. 10, 1959. The caption reads, “The 150-unit, $1,730,000 Westview Terrace housing project being built on Leavitt Road., between W. 23rd and W. 24th streets, is rapidly taking shape.
"The Victory Construction Co. of Dayton started work on the project last summer for the Lorain Metropolitan Housing Authority. The low-rent apartments are expected to be ready for occupancy next summer."
Drive through “the Projects” today, and I think you’ll find that the passing of sixty years has been kind to the area. The buildings were updated with the addition of dormers, new siding and landscaping, and they look quite nice and well-maintained. The trees tower over the development now, and they add to the overall effect of a stately old neighborhood.
When we lived at Leavitt Homes(1966-67), everyone just called Westview Terrace "the new Projects", and wandering over there might cause you to get mussed up by the kids there, even though we all went to the same school. Still, if they knew you (and knew you could hang), you were cool .
ReplyDeleteBack then, the Projects were just another neighborhood, not crime and drug ridden as in later years. I can't imagine what it would be like to grow up there now.
It should be part of the job requirement for the mayor of Lorain to live in a different part of the city for one week once a month.That would give the high and mighty of society a little bit of respect towards the residents who live in areas like The Projects.
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