By Cliff Dunn

“Renewal” is the watchword these days for residents and visitors to the western end of Wilton Manors, where twelve months of rejuvenation to a once-blighted part of Broward County is already proving out. Since December 2010, Urban Dynamic Communities (UDC) has been purchasing and renovating apartments along the Island City’s NW 9 Avenue corridor.

Business and community leaders say UDC’S efforts are changing the face of the city, earning them the nickname “The Powerline Cleanup Crew.”

“I am delighted with the work being done on Powerline,” says Wilton Manors Mayor Gary Resnick. “We have been encouraging private investment to clean up Powerline, which is an area we have long targeted for renovation. We fully support this effort.”

Home to close to 12,000 people, many residents are unaware that the 1.94 square mile city reaches Interstate 95 on its westernmost boundary.

To date, UDC has purchased five apartment buildings. At the time of purchase, all but one of the properties was vacant and boarded-up. The vacant buildings became havens for drugs and transient individuals, many of whom, officials say, were likewise involved in other criminal activities.

Krishan Manners, President and CEO of Wilton Manors Main Street, notes that Wilton Manors Police have done a credible job in removing that element from the area, but until all of the vacant buildings are rehabilitated it continues to be a challenge for the city.

For their part, the owners of UDC say they are in this for the long haul. “We are long-term investors that keep properties for long periods of time,” said Larry Baum, a partner in UDC. “We like to outreach into the community and become more involved,” he adds.

“Before my partners, Shlomo Khoudari , Oscar Rodriguez and I invest in a particular community, we make certain we feel comfortable being there for at least 10 years.”

Others say that while the progress continues, there is more to be done. Manners notes that the Como Apartments located at 2412 NW 9 Avenue remain boarded up across the street from the rehabilitated buildings. These units, purchased through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) by Broward County, remain a problem for the area. Despite being boarded up, there are still people going into the abandoned structure.

Main Street’s Manners is upbeat about the coming months. “This area of the city is prime ground for redevelopment,” he offers, “and affordable housing is exactly what is needed to restore this area to a safe and attractive part of the city.”