Mercy Housing Southeast is proudly rededicating one of its most historically significant communities, Heritage Place Apartments in Savannah.

Heritage Place in the Cuyler Brownsville neighborhood, is the site of two historic buildings, Charity Hospital and the Florance Street School, and other apartments that were added to connect the community and add additional affordable homes. Charity Hospital was founded in 1893 as the McKane School for Nurses and was the first hospital in Savannah to train African American nurses and doctors in the aftermath of the Civil War. In 1931, it was renamed Charity Hospital after moving into a new three-story brick building.

The Florance Street School was built in 1928 as one of the first modern schools in the south for African American children. The school was desegregated in 1971 and remained an elementary school until 1987.

With help from the City of Savannah, in 2003, Mercy Housing preserved these historic buildings and created a new affordable housing community. And now a new phase begins. This summer, after a two-year effort, a significant renovation of Heritage Place has been completed.

Returning residents can expect a number of improvements when they return to their revitalized homes and community. Renovations included new roofs and windows, brick work repair, new gutters and downspouts and sidewalk repairs. In common areas, they’ll see new flooring, wall repairs and fresh paint, new lighting.

Each apartment home will have new flooring, wall repairs and fresh paint. New lighting, kitchen cabinets, kitchen appliances, new plumbing and fixtures, HVAC updates and more.

We want to thank all the partners who helped to make this project a possibility, beginning with our banking partner US Bank, Choate Construction, GM Shay and many others. And as always, the solid commitment and support from the City of Savannah.