What do you do when a public housing project has outlived its usefulness? How do you deal with buildings that are beginning to fall apart and are costing more to maintain than their original investment?

In 1955, the Peter Young and Brockington Homes were built with federal and state funds to provide housing for the needs of an increasing senior and income-challenged population. They were adequate for the times, but needs have changed and, by 2000, the buildings had actually surpassed their serviceable lives. In addition, the neighborhood was beginning to show those tell-tale signs of degradation.

In 2002, the City of Cocoa had designated a Brownfields Area that encompassed the Peter Young and Brockington Homes site along with the adjoining north-south corridor. With that designation the City applied for and successfully received federal Brownfields funds through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct environmental assessments at the site. Through the federal and state Brownfields Programs certain financial and legal incentives were accessed, helping the project to move forward.
In 2004, through a partnership that included the City of Cocoa, the Cocoa Housing Authority, Progressive Communities of Cocoa, and Diamond Square Redevelopment Agency, a vision was conceived that would replace the dilapidated buildings. The plan was to replace 111 public housing units with 70 for sale single-family, low-income units for qualified buyers. It also included a 3,200 square foot community center, 48 elderly low-income units.

With the endorsement of the Cocoa community, the older buildings were demolished and construction of the newer homes of Magnolia Pointe began. In 2005, the first seven units were completed and by years end were occupied by families who qualified for assistance in order to purchase their homes. Seven more units will be completed by the end of 2006 and have already been qualified for purchase.

The City of Cocoa has demonstrated how the utilization of federal Brownfields funds can revitalized a Brownfields Area and create a vibrant community within a community while meeting the needs of an often-overlooked segment of our society. Magnolia Pointe now has homes for which the owners can take pride, not only because they are new, but also because they are now owned by the occupants themselves.

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