As bagpipes blared “America the Beautiful” and “Amazing Grace,” and dozens of American flags whipped in the wind, government officials and leaders from the New York-based Tunnels to Towers nonprofit celebrated the groundbreaking April 9 of 165 affordable housing units for veterans in Jacksonville.
Tunnels to Towers, founded in memory of former New York City firefighter Stephen Siller after he was killed on 9/11, bought the former Ramada Inn at 9150 Baymeadows Road adjacent to Interstate 95 to create affordable housing for American military veterans. Plans call for the former hotel to be transformed into 145 apartments, while 20 freestanding homes on the property will be built for older veterans who served in Korea and Vietnam.
“It never happens that somebody calls the mayor’s office and says, ‘We don’t want a thing from you. We just want to help,’” Mayor Donna Deegan said. “When it comes to our veterans, that’s the heart of our community. I just cannot begin to tell you how thrilling it has been to work with this wonderful organization.”
According to Tunnels to Towers, Siller responded to the terrorist attack while off-duty but was blocked at the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. He parked his truck, strapped on his gear and ran through the tunnel to the Twin Towers.
The organization said it has raised $1 billion for housing assistance for homeless former service members.
It has opened or plans to open 27 Veterans Villages nationally similar to the one on Baymeadows Road.
Renovations will begin once the project receives permitting approval from the city, which Tunnels to Towers Vice President Gavin Naples said he expected in two weeks. Residents will move in at the end of 2027, Naples said.
The nonprofit will provide all of the units fully furnished, representatives said. Studio and one-bedroom apartments will be 300 to 350 square feet, while houses will take up 525 square feet. A model house open for a tour April 9 featured a living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, with a composite deck to be installed before residents move in.
The first floor of the building will include a library, lounge, dining area, gym, workforce redevelopment center and more. Tunnels to Towers will offer residents case management, assistance with VA benefits, employment help, peer support, legal advocacy and other services.
“What you’ll see next year is a place of comfort, respect and dignity,” Naples said. “What you’ll see next year is a place where our veterans can call home, a place for each of their specific needs.”
A Tunnels to Towers spokesperson said rents for the units have not yet been set.
Naples said the total cost of investment in the property would be $25 million. In addition to gutting and renovating the hotel, the nonprofit plans to demolish the restaurant attached to the Ramada to make room for the standalone houses, Naples said.
Property records show the Ramada was built in 1974 and developed on two parcels totaling 5.18 acres. The Knights 18 Baymeadows LLC bought the hotel in 2021 for $8.22 million.
The Knights 18 Baymeadows LLC is managed by a company led by Shmuel Bonnardel, CEO of Rore Investing, a Jacksonville real estate investment firm.
The state of Florida issued a warrant Jan. 15 stating The Knights 18 Baymeadows LLC owes $643,626.15 in sales and use taxes, plus interest and penalties.