Gathering Place Construction Leaving Apartment Complexes Vacant

Things are full speed ahead as progress continues on the Gathering Place project on Riverside Drive, and that progress has turned a once busy corner of town into somewhat of ghost town.

On one side of 31st Street there are obvious signs of a massive construction project underway, and that project is quickly crossing the road to apartments as more and more tenants say their final goodbyes.

"I'll miss it, but I'll find something else," said resident David Sherkat.

The complexes are on land dedicated to the Gathering Place project, and as construction gets underway, the area is becoming deserted, except for a few people who still call the apartments home.

7/15/2014 Related Story: New Timeline For The Gathering Place Bumps Up Apartment Demolition

"You've got good parking, now you can always get a dryer or a washer at the Laundromat, so that part of it doesn't really bother me," Sherkat said.

He has lived there for several years but has to move out by Christmas.

The demolition process at the Sundance Apartments and part of The Legacy at Riverview begins in January.

Director of the Gathering Place, Jeff Stava is overseeing it all.

Jeff Stava, Executive Director of the Gathering Place "We've been cleaning out all of the appliances, we've been working at Habitat for Humanity and they're cleaning their appliances out and some of the cabinetry and hardware and fixtures. So we're trying to salvage as much out of the apartments as we can.

Apartments are being vacated by the day.

"A lot of people got out quick and so there are a few people hanging on," Sherkat said.

They are hanging on and holding out through the holidays, but that's turning the corner into a ghost town.

"But yeah it's a little bit eerie," Sherkat said.

Even though tenants are vacating the complexes, tenants said there are 24 hour security guards monitoring the properties to make sure things stay safe.