By: Lee Anderson
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
A new apartment complex — Washington Village Apartments — threw open its doors to Wichita Falls a few days ago, and the leasing process is in full swing, a spokesman said.
Roland Broussard, vice president of property management for Realtex Development Corp., headquartered in Austin, said the first building of the $8.5 million gated facility on Redwood Avenue opened Saturday and that three others will be ready sometime this week.
He said tenants will begin moving in Saturday.
“Our target goal is to be completely finished by the end of February and leasing full force March 1,” Broussard said. “And we believe we will be full (occupancy) by April. We have 76 applications on the table, and 14 have been approved.”
Construction of the much-needed complex on the East Side started in May, the owners said. Realtex is the developer, owner and managing partner of Washington Village.
The apartment homes range in size from one to three bedrooms. The one-bedroom apartments are 710 square feet, two-bedroom homes are 963 square feet, and the three-bedroom apartments are 1,147 square feet.
Broussard said leases are based on household income. One-bedroom apartments (24) range in price from $164 to $446 monthly; two-bedroom homes (40) cost from $185 to $524 per month; and the cost for three-bedroom apartments runs from $219 to $611 monthly.
The complex consists of six residential buildings (96 units), a clubhouse, and a building that has been added on in recognition of the old Booker T. Washington High School, which was open from 1922 to 1963. Broussard said the complex is located on land where the school was located and that a monument will be erected nearby, using some of the bricks from the campus. It is for use by the Booker T. Washington High School Alumni Association.
Interior amenities of the apartments include full-size washer/dryer connections, a built-in microwave, a refrigerator with ice maker, custom window treatments, central heat and air, private patio/balcony with storage, cable and high-speed Internet ready, ceiling fans in all rooms, raised panel doors, panel-paned windows, and large closets.
Community features include a swimming pool, gates with intercom access, covered parking, business center, clubhouse and community room, fitness center, barbecue area and a gazebo, playground, sports court, and on-site management.
Speaking of the facility, Broussard said, “The idea was to develop an anchor for community revitalization, bringing back people and jobs to the community, keeping rent affordable and offering a superior product.
“In designing, we wanted it to have the feel of home instead of an apartment setting. It is far superior to any other affordable-housing development. We believe in quality, fit and safe housing unit.”
Realtex also owns and operates Woodview Apartments off Jacksboro Highway. It opened some four to five years ago, he said. The company has several other apartment complexes in Texas and Mississippi.
Wichita Falls developer Andy Lee, who worked with Realtex for some four years to make Washington Village a reality, said, “Number one, it fits the need for affordable housing. It is the number one catalyst for revitalizing a neighborhood. If you can get housing like this, you can attract commercial businesses such as drugstores, grocery stores, and things like that. It fits the need perfectly.”
The leasing office is located at 1001 Redwood next door to the Wichita Falls Police Department training center. The telephone number is (940) 761-1721. Broussard said the office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.