Home Ruins

In 1961, College Park officials recognized the need to improve and renovate some of Lakeland’s homes, many of which had been damaged by the frequent flooding. To carry out the improvements, city officials adopted an urban renewal plan in 1970. It mandated redevelopment of Lakeland’s eastern and western sections, about two-thirds of the community. Residents of the affected areas vacated their homes in the mid-1970s. They were compensated for the value of their homes and promised an opportunity to return to new housing units when construction was completed. The project was expected to take a few years. However, it took much longer because problems plagued the project, due to changes in regulations and policies within the federal government. Over time, economic forces and other issues produced vast changes in the redevelopment plan, with consequent delay after delay. The ruins of homes, such as those along a section of Lakeland Road, pictured below, blighted the community for more than five years.

Date

1979