The St. Johns Housing Partnership held a flag-raising ceremony Nov. 16 at Patriot Place, a new housing option for at-risk veterans in St. Johns County.
Flagler Health+’s social health program, Care Connect+, administers the six-unit apartment community under construction at 79 Masters Drive in St. Augustine.
Care Connect+ links area residents with resources such as safe housing, food pantries, counseling services, workplace readiness and transportation.
“For years, our local veterans’ office has struggled to help local veterans who need a one-bedroom apartment to remain living in St. Johns County,” said St. Johns Housing Partnership Executive Director Bill Lazar in a news release.
“This is an effort to thank them for their service and stand by them while they integrate back into the community.”
Veterans will pay about 30% of market rate for the one-bedroom, 630-square-foot apartments with the balance subsidized through St. Johns Housing Partnership fundraising efforts.
The cost of the Patriot Place project, including the land, site preparation, design and construction, is estimated at $900,000. Ponte Vedra Beach-based MountainStar Capital bought the land for $100,000 and donated it to the project.
“Today is another step in our pledge to provide affordable housing and support of charitable causes,” said Chris Lazzara, co-founder and CEO of MountainStar Capital, in the release.
Architect Bryan McCloskey designed the structure and Gulfstream Engineering provided the site plan, both at below-market fees.
The contractor, Robert Marshall of World Island Builders, is donating the construction with assistance from the St. Johns Builders Council of the Northeast Florida Builders Association.
Members of the community are donating time and materials including Lovely Loo owner Bo Strangeo and the Snodgrass Family Foundation. Financial partner Ameris Bank arranged construction loans.
The Florida Green Building Coalition said that Patriot Place will be certified “Florida Green.”