Uncertain of building back, Trent Court demolition moves forward with environmental review

A crucial step that was initially overlooked in the redevelopment of the Trent Court apartment complex in New Bern has finally gotten underway.

Nearly four years after Hurricane Florence flooded almost half of the apartments in Trent Court, the city has hired Urban Design Ventures to perform an environmental review necessary to begin the demolition of the condemned buildings.

The hiring was confirmed Monday by New Bern Public Information Officer Colleen Roberts.

On February 22, the New Bern Board of Aldermen approved a memorandum of understanding with the New Bern Housing Authority that gave the city approval to hire a consultant to perform an environmental review of the demolition area. The review is the first step in the process to secure funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the demolition of the 12 Trent Court buildings that were permanently closed due to flood damage.

According to Housing Authority Director Tiffany Askew, there is currently no estimate on when the environmental review might be completed or when demolition work will begin.

Askew said the Housing Authority is currently working to prepare a detailed scope of work for the project to complete the details of a memorandum of agreement between the city of New Bern and the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. The purpose of the document is to determine the historic preservation of the property, Askew added.

The demolition process at Trent Court was slowed after it was discovered last October that a previous authorization for demolition granted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development was issued without an environmental review. That authorization has since been rescinded.

More: Trent Court demolition: Environmental review hurtle slows plans

The initial approval for demolition was obtained prior to Askew’s appointment to the housing authority in June 2021. She declined to say whether HUD made a mistake during the approval process.

“When I went to move forward with the (demolition) process that’s when I was told that the environmental review wasn’t complete,” she explained. “That’s what initiated the contact with the city to complete the review.”

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City Attorney Scott Davis said that once the environmental review is finished, the information will be sent to HUD and FEMA and then come back to the board of aldermen for final approval. Askew said the New Bern Preservation Commission will also need to sign off on the demolition plan.

“Basically this was just the initial start of it,” she commented. “We’ll need to work with the city on completing the process and submitting information.”

Trent Court’s future remains uncertain

Trent Court residents as well as those that required relocation due to the hurricane were given priority consideration during the initial lease-up phase of Carolina Avenue Apartments, the new $13 million, 84-unit affordable apartment complex that opened recently off of Trent Road.

Askew said once the Trent Court demolition process is complete the buildings will be redeveloped either at the original site or at another location.

“We will replace the units that are demolished,” Askew said.

More: Three years after Florence: What is the future for Trent Court buildings?

The Carolina Avenue project is part of New Bern’s Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI), a renovation effort that encompasses the greater Five Points area and includes a plan to renovate the Trent Court area. The CNI plan calls for the creation of a new Trent Court that would complement the surrounding historic district and include mixed income housing and possibly retail outlets.

Reginal Barner, a development consultant working with the housing authority, said the goal is to develop a master plan for redeveloping the entire Trent Court area, including the addition of  “quality affordable housing.”

According to Askew, there has been no discussion between the housing authority and the city about the redevelopment of Trent Court.

“Not at this point,” she said.

Askew said a public input period would be included in the planning process. She said she could assure the public that their voices will be heard on the final plan for Trent Court.

“We’ll definitely be engaged with the community and allow the community, and most importantly our residents to share their thoughts,” she commented.

This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Trent Court demolition plans move forward with environmental review