ORLANDO, Fla. — The city of Orlando is expected to sell an old apartment complex where Orlando firefighters were exposed to asbestos.
What’s going to be built in its place is something that could be beneficial to the entire community.
Ability Housing, the Jacksonville organization that plans to buy the property come Monday, wants to bulldoze the buildings on Mercy Drive and create low-income housing that will include services like child care, education and job search assistance offices.
Commissioner Regina Hill said she’s excited that the buildings are going to be replaced.
“They’re partnered with Orange Blossom Health where there will be a satellite office here. They’ll be not just the body, but those who have some psychological mental health components,” said Hill.
The city is expected to sell the property for $1.2 million.
The project will include 160 units, with a mix of studios and one, two and three bedroom apartments.
Ability Housing hopes it can break ground by the end of this year and hire local people to work in the building.
Meanwhile the gear worn by Orlando firefighters who removed possible asbestos from the building, has been sent for testing.
Earlier this month, firefighters called Channel 9 after they removed some tiles from the building.
A firefighters said that a county report showed the building has asbestos.
The firefighters were prepping the building for fire training.
Orange County Environmental Protection officials have launched an investigation.