Neighboring apartment complexes located between =
Georgia=20
and Western streets and north of 15th Avenue are =
getting a new=20
look.
"What we've been doing is installing parking lots =
for the=20
front side of the Astoria Park Apartments. And we're =
also=20
setting in irrigation systems," said Gilbert Pedraza,=20
community director of Astoria Park Apartments.
"We have back parking places for them and on the =
street.=20
This should make it a lot easier for them," Pedraza =
said.
Mid-Continent Community Development, based in =
Amarillo, is=20
doing the work, said its president, Larry Bunn.
Astoria Park had no front parking, he said.
"It was much needed, and we decided to utilize the =
open=20
area in front of the building for the five parking =
lots," he=20
said.
"It just gives it a neater appearance as you drive =
in."
In addition to the 110 parking spaces in five =
parking lots,=20
Astoria Park is set for a new paint job - colors still =
yet to=20
be decided - and hydroseeding for the yards.=20
Hydroseeding will put out bermuda and rye seeds for =
year-round green grass and erosion control, Bunn said.
"Once we do the parking lots, and the grass grows, =
the=20
complex will look like a different place," he said.
Astoria Park Apartments has 164 units, mainly =
two-bedroom,=20
one-bath townhouses with a few three-bedroom, two-bath =
townhouses, he said.
Green Acres Apartments is a neighbor to Astoria =
Park on=20
West 15th Avenue.
"In the Green Acres, we painted the outside of the =
units,"=20
Pedraza said.
The buildings went from a darker beige to a lighter =
beige.
"Green Acres need to be repainted. You repaint and =
it makes=20
it look brand new again," Bunn said.
Tenants are motivated to keep up the property =
because it=20
looks so much nicer, he said.
Green Acres is also scheduled for four to five new=20
playgrounds, irrigation and hydroseeding, Bunn said.
Green Acres has 195 units, divided about equally =
between=20
one- and three-bedroom units, Pedraza said.
"We manage both properties out of the same office =
at 3118=20
S.W. 15th Ave.," Pedraza said.
The complexes are owned by the American Housing =
Foundation.
Paul French of French and Co., Realtors is =
president of the=20
Apartment Association of the Panhandle.
"We're running about 90 to 93 percent occupied," =
French=20
said.
Rents are steady and rising slightly, he said.
The number of bathrooms in an apartment matters =
more now,=20
French said.
"People don't want to share a bathroom when they =
are all=20
trying to get ready at the same time," he said.
A spruced-up appearance is good business, French =
said.
"When the complex is nicer, you tend to get better =
quality=20
tenants and they take more pride in living there," he =
said.
"You're raising the bar on getting better tenants =
that are=20
going to stay and pay and keep it up," French said.
The announcement of the Remington Apartments that =
will be=20
built at 8801 Tarter Ave. is also a good sign for the =
city, he=20
said.
"Anytime there's building going on, it means the =
city's=20
progressing, French said.
Rising mortgage rates will keep some people in =
apartments,=20
but not really hurt the housing market, he said.
"As it (the interest rate) goes up of a percent, it =
forces=20
1 million people out of the housing market," French =
said.
Units are available, Pedraza said.
Most units are reserved for people who qualify for=20
affordable housing and others are priced at market =
rates, he=20
said.
Office hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through =
Friday and=20
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
![3DHomes=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/icons_story_homes.gif"=20){kind=icon}
![3DJobs=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/icons_story_jobs.gif"=20){kind=icon}
![3DAutos=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/icons_story_autos.gif"=20){kind=icon}
![3D"Local](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/section_headers/localnews_story.gif=)
![3D""=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/spacer.gif")
![3D""=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/storyad_border.gif"=20)
![3D""=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/spacer.gif"=20)
![](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/111505/35542_256.jpg"=20)
![3DPrint=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/images/misc/icons_print.gif"=20){kind=icon}
![3Dtop_jobs=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/redesign/images/section_headers/top_jobs.g=)
![3Dtop_cars=20](3D"http://www.amarillo.com/redesign/images/section_headers/top_cars.g=)