CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Habitat for Humanity is not letting the June heat get in its way, as the non-profit organization broke ground on a new home in Charleston Tuesday morning.
The new home in waiting will stand at 908 Grant Street in Charleston’s West Side, and according to Construction Supervisor Tiny Hanshaw, hydration is key for his crew working during the unprecedented heat wave.
“Stay hydrated and try to get in the shade when you get to hot,” Hanshaw said Tuesday afternoon.
The new home marks the third active project in Charleston between Habitat for Humanity and the city’s Land Reuse Agency, and according to Hanshaw, the process to break ground on this piece of land was not quick.
“The house was torn down 16 years ago, so it was a slow process, but we think it’ll get faster each time we do it, Hanshaw said Tuesday morning. “They’re trying to speed up turning the lots over so we can build more houses.”
The long-awaited ground-breaking of the home brought out excited faces to support the Habitat for Humanity in its effort to help the community.
“We had a lot of people here, the mayor was here and the folks from the Charleston Land Reuse Agency and everybody is happy and excited to get this project started,” Hanshaw said.
Habitat for Humanity said the Grant Street project is a big step in revitalizing Charleston’s West Side with the ability to provide community stability, foster economic growth, and create sustainability for homeowners.
Hanshaw complimented the effort of Habitat for Humanity in rebuilding parts of Charleston.
“Habitat (for Humanity) is a wonderful program,” Hanshaw said. “It works with families to eliminate substandard housing, that’s our goal in life. We put God’s work in action to put a family in a home,” Hanshaw continued.
The home is set to be completed between late September and early October. The future homebuyer of the Grant Street residence will be selected through an application and orientation process.