Groundbreaking for Pender Crossing project

City officials, developers and community members gathered Friday morning to break ground and celebrate the Pender Crossing development on Pender Street.

Pender Crossing is a new 2.13-acre development owned and managed by Woda Cooper Companies. The 48-unit complex will be built on the site of the former Pender Street Park. The park will be relocated and renovated nearby on the same block.

“This development addresses the need to provide quality, affordable housing to those who need it most,” said Denis Blackburne, senior vice president of Woda Cooper Companies. “The goal of this program is to create market-rate developments. This project targets those who are not fortunate enough to have higher income levels. We are targeting residents who earn between 40% and 60% of the area median income.”

The apartment complex will consist of two four-story buildings with one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with rents tied to tenants' income. Parking will be available to residents on-site, as will a management and leasing office. Blackburne said the minimum salary for a single resident of Wilson will be between $21,680 and $32,520 per year.

“These are hard-working people,” Blackburne said. “They are the backbone of most of the communities we live in. These people will have a very high-quality and affordable place to live.”

Mayor Carlton Stevens emphasized the importance of caring for the socially disadvantaged in our community.

“These developers are responding with love and compassion,” Stevens said. “They are giving hope to the hopeless. No matter how big the undertaking, we have to take the first step. I want to thank Woda Cooper for showing compassion, giving hope and taking the first step.”

Assistant City Manager Rodger Lentz said the city received a $1.2 million housing loan and a $960,000 loan to help with the Pender Crossing development. Often, he said, developers ask how the city can help them when they purchase property in Wilson. Lentz said Woda Cooper took a different approach and asked how they could help the city.

“We talked about the redevelopment areas of the city and where we needed housing,” said Lentz. “We came across this area. We did a little math and came to the conclusion that this had to be the location.”

Lentz said the Pender Crossing development is a catalyst for the redevelopment of this part of downtown Wilson.