Condos near the Heights

About half way between Fortification and High Street at 827 North State Street will be the new City View condos.

Today's Clarion Ledger writes about the details:

What is now an aging, fenced-in, gray, slab building near State and Fortification streets could become one of the hippest places to live when renovations are completed next year. The art deco building will be home to City View, a 24-unit upscale condominium complex at 827 N. State St. "(City View) combines the convenience of downtown living with the excitement of what's happening in the Fondren and Belhaven areas," project coordinator Barry Plunkett said. He compared the building's anticipated appearance to the pastel-colored buildings in Miami's trendy South Beach area. The development will offer one- and two-bedroom units with 700 to 1,000 square feet of living space, Plunkett said. Condos will feature hardwood floors and granite countertops among their amenities, although tenants can customize certain features before construction, Plunkett said. Concierge service and secure parking also will be offered. Plunkett is finalizing designs and ordering materials before construction starts in May. The project is expected to open by next Easter, he said.

The building will be renovated from top to bottom, Plunkett said. "It will have all-new air conditioning, new plumbing, new electrical (wiring), new mechanical (features)," he said. The updates, which also include new windows, are expected to cost approximately $2 million.

City View could open the door for more residential opportunities in Belhaven and surrounding areas, said Virgi Lindsay, executive director of the Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation. "We think the rehabilitation of (the building) is vital to the rehabilitation of the overall Belhaven community," she said. "It's not only preserving an older building but (creating) a niche for housing." The building will benefit from the neighborhood anchored by Millsaps and Belhaven colleges and nearby medical facilities, Lindsay said.