Our Residents

Robinson Gardens resident Sol Muniz says the exterior work at the development has spruced things up and made her happy.

Federalization at Robinson Gardens Apartments, a $6.7 million project that brings the development up to federal standards and will lower rents for most residents, has been declared substantially complete.

Springfield Housing Authority Executive Director William H. Abrashkin said the work, which spruced up both interiors and exteriors to the development in the Pine Point neighborhood of the city, was recently completed as the last of three family developments to get overhauls. Those three projects, funded by the state Department of Housing and Community Development, gave the city an additional benefit of $19 million in economic development.

The other two, Reed Village and John J. Duggan Park, were completed last year.

Work at Robinson Gardens began last summer, and included siding, windows, sidewalks and stairs at many of the 136 units. The state Department of Housing and Community Development-funded project came on the heels of nearly $700,000 in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money for interior work at Robinson Gardens.

Robinson Gardens boasts new siding, stairs, railings, curbings and more.

Abrashkin said the work brings the 62-old development up to modern standards, and ensures many more years of safe and sanitary housing for Springfield families.“This marks the completion of the largest upgrade at the Springfield Housing Authority since the housing was built 60-plus years ago,” Abrashkin said.

“These developments have had an extreme makeover. Aging and at-risk housing has now been preserved well into the future,” he said.

Board of Commissioners Chairman Raymond Warren said the work at Robinson Gardens, as well as Duggan and Reed Village, will essentially keep the developments vital for many more years.

“There is a defined useful life to these buildings. The rehabilitation of Robinson Garden has added new life to an older complex that had much deferred maintenance,” Warren said.

“The complex is attractive and up to current codes. We are grateful for the funds that were used to turn Robinson around. Residents will benefit by all the upgrades that have taken place. I am very proud of the partnership between federal and state agencies and the Springfield Housing Authority staff and contractors who did a great job on Robinson that will extend its life as safe and affordable housing for hundreds of families for many years to come,” he added.

The work, which began in the spring and brought jobs  to about 50 people from the private sector, brings Robinson Garden up to federal Housing and Urban Development standards, meaning additional housing reimbursements for the SHA. HUD inspections that will complete that process will begin next month.