Residents begin moving into Cool Lane Commons

A vacant assisted living facility in Henrico County has been converted into an affordable apartment community with 86 units, and the first residents now have moved in.

The new apartment complex, Cool Lane Commons, sits on Cool Lane, near Richmond's line with Henrico County. Owner Virginia Supportive Housing completed a $23 million renovation project on the 90,000-square-foot building, which had been vacant since 2007.

The apartments are open to low-income residents and those previously experiencing homelessness. The building offers 80 one-bedroom apartments and six studio apartments, each with at least 500 square feet of living space, including a private bathroom and kitchen with full-size appliances. Thirteen apartments are accessible to those living with disabilities.

The community also includes a fitness room, laundry facilities, front desk, computer lab, phone room, and an off-street parking lot, and space for on-call security officers.

Virginia Supportive Housing is a nonprofit organization that works to providing housing and support services to low-income and formerly homeless people.

"[N]ot only are we able to provide 86 units of housing for people here at this facility, but we're turning something that was a blight in the community into a really positive place that now the neighbors are really happy to see," said Veleene Goffena, the Community Development Block Grant program manager for the Henrico County Department of Community Revitalization, which directed federal CDBG funds to support the project. Other local, state and federal funding also was used to complete the effort.

Most residents are paying between $250 and $300 per month in rent, according to officials.