Hope blooms in Meadows

David Council stepped past a freshly planted grass courtyard in the 2300 block of Tam Drive on Monday with a look of amazement filling his 12-year-old eyes.

That anything could grow there, especially in the now unused swimming pool, where only rats, syringes and garbage had dared surface, was deemed miraculous indeed.

But now, after a $900,000 private investment to clean up the former Aladdin Villas Apartments in the shadow of the Stratosphere Tower, hope, too, has begun to grow again in the neighborhood called Meadows Village.

"My friend used to live right here," Council said, glancing at a second-story unit above the furnished model on display for city officials during Monday's groundbreaking of the renamed Monterey Villas complex. "Every day the window used to get shot out and it was just a place with dope everywhere."

A marathon 23-hour City Council meeting with the former owners of the rundown site ended last February with an order to demolish the 80-unit complex, then known as Aladdin Villas.

After some legal wrangling, Apache Enterprises stepped in and began working with Councilman Michael McDonald's staff to bring the 10-building complex back into compliance with city codes.

"I wouldn't have lived here and wouldn't have expected anyone to live here," said Apache representative Chris Samson.

Now what McDonald called "worse than a third world country" was replaced with his plaudits of "unbelievable," "wonderful," and "this is a big win."

Looking at the gray skies covering the midday dedication ceremony, McDonald told about 100 onlookers, "If you look at the cloudy beginning and the sun shining through, this is just the beginning."

Denise Valdez, who remembers when she could sleep in a sleeping bag in her backyard near here, has lived to see the decline of a once great neighborhood to what she hopes will spark a rebirth.

"I hope that this is going to make a difference," Valdez said, eyeing the large "Now Renting" banner draped over the beige and taupe stucco walls of the refurbished apartments. "Maybe this can spark the citizens to involve themselves to improve the other problem spots."

The newly-painted apartments feature carpeting, mini blinds, kitchen appliances and on-site laundry facilities. Apartment manager Dawn Stevens said the units start at $475 and are available for rent now.

"I was born and raised in this city, too," Samson said. "This was my way of giving back something."

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