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Allen Benedict Court: Forever in My Heart
Allen Benedict Court Redevelopment
Columbia Housing has received permission from the federal government to raze Allen Benedict Court, one of the city's oldest, and the nation's oldest, public housing complexes.
Plans for the redeveloped site include 168 senior units, 96 family units and 99 units of work-force housing.
Allen Benedict Court Redevelopment Timeline
- Completed Pre-demolition - August 16-31, 2021
- Completed Fire Department Training - August 23-31, 2021
- In Progress Demolition Start - September 13, 2021
- Community Engagement - August 16, 2021 - September 8, 2021
- Financial Closing - July, 2022
Allen Benedict Court: The Beginning
Columbia Housing began accepting bids for the construction of Allen-Benedict Court on November 18, 1939. Arthur Wellwood, then director of CH, announced that Allen-Benedict Court would be situated within the area bounded by Harden, Oak, Calhoun, and Laurel Streets. The construction contract for the new project went to M.B Kahn Company in conjunction with the Boyle Road and Bridge Company.
The official start date of construction on Allen-Benedict Court was February 11, 1940. The plans for construction included 244 dwelling units of which, 182 were leased before the official move-in date of November 15, 1940. Just before the move-in date, M.A Entzminger was appointed the Resident Manager of Allen-Benedict Court by the CHA's board of directors. The rents were very similar to those posted for Gonzales Gardens, but Allen-Benedict Court provided more options on apartment size than its sister project.
The site was comprised of 27 one and two story buildings with 116 one-bedroom units, 88 two-bedroom units and 40 three-bedroom units. There was also a community and administrative building in the center of the site.
Historic Columbia's Report on Mitigation of Adverse Effects at Allen Benedict Court
Historical Documents:
- To view vintage photographs of the Allen Benedict Court Community, please click here.
- To view the original blueprints of Allen Benedict Court, please click here.
- To view photographs of the buildings prior to demolition, please click here.
