Thursday, December 13, 2007

Tuskegee awarded $600,000 grant through HUD’s HBCU program

Homes and businesses near Tuskegee University will be getting a facelift thanks to a $600,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

September 21, 2007

Homes and businesses near Tuskegee University will be getting a facelift thanks to a $600,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Tuskegee University received the grant through HUD’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities program, which helps improve areas near historically black college campuses.

University president Dr. Benjamin F. Payton says that the money will be used to revitalize the Tuskegee area including the Old Montgomery/Franklin Road Corridor. The improvements would include renovating local homes and businesses, landscaping, sign repairs, renovating and selling unoccupied buildings and holding workshops for local homeowners and entrepreneurs.

Payton wants the improvements to benefit a variety of people in the community from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and not simply single out one group.

“We intend to have a community here that makes it possible, indeed necessary, for people to reinforce their need for one another, and in the process to make a vibrant community around us,“ he said.

In addition to the money received from the grant, Payton says that various community groups have contributed more than $350,000 toward the project.

He says that the grant money is a good start for revitalization efforts for the area, but more money will be needed to continue those efforts.

“There’s only so much $600,000 can do,“ Payton said.

“We’re looking at a multi-multi-million dollar need and so I think that our goal must be to do this so well that it will bring forth those additional sums we need to really get the whole thing done.“

Bob Young, the Atlanta regional director for HUD, says that Tuskegee University was chosen to receive the grant money due to its continued focus on protecting the character of the campus and surrounding community.

He thinks that the improvements made with the grant money will help create a better environment for the university and city residents.

“The Tuskegee that people have grown to know and love is the Tuskegee not only of yesterday and today,“ Young said. “But it will be a better Tuskegee tomorrow.“