A ribbon cutting was held Thursday, April 23, to celebrate the completion of renovations at Cleveland Square Apartments, a 48-unit complex on Waco Street between College and Travis streets.
The event brought together the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, the City of Cleveland, and LCJ Management of New Caney, which led the project.
The renovation, which began in 2023, included upgrades to every unit, such as new flooring, cabinets, appliances, smoke detection systems, and windows. The project also addressed larger structural needs, including a new roof, improved parking areas, new stairwells, and the addition of a community room.
Craig Washburn, president and CFO of LCJ Management, said the project was about improving quality of life for current residents.
“There’s nothing like taking something that just needs help and fixing it up,” Washburn said. “I know it doesn’t add units to the mix, but it makes the lives of the people already living there better. That’s a great thing to do.”
Washburn said managing affordable housing comes with a range of responsibilities, from meeting federal program requirements to ensuring residents have a safe place to live.
“It’s a lot to balance,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it’s about making sure our residents are in a safe and sanitary environment.”
Cleveland Mayor Danny Lee thanked LCJ Management for investing in the city and completing a project he described as much needed.
“The work you’ve done here is really outstanding,” Lee said. “This project is greatly appreciated, and the fact that you were able to keep residents housed during construction says a lot.”
Lee said projects like this are important to the community.
“We love our town, and every improvement like this matters,” he said. “We celebrate it.”
It’s Craig Washburn not Washington. Lol