COVINGTON, Ga. — Developers say the “huge demand” they have seen for new apartment complexes in Covington led them to invest millions in a new project on the city’s south side.
However, rain and other factors have slowed construction of the $34 million apartment complex on Covington’s south side.
Developer Arbour Valley Communities of Birmingham, Alabama, has been doing engineering and site work for more than a year on the planned Arbours at Covington complex, said company principal Sam Johnston.
The complex on Ga. Highway 36 between Covington Bypass and Piper roads is “designed to be affordable” but is not government-subsidized, Johnston said.
Completion is set for the end of this year — depending on weather conditions, he said.
The 180-unit complex will be geared to families and include 54 three-bedroom units, with the rest being one- and two-bedroom units, he said.
Rents will be competitive with other properties in the area and range from $800 for a one-bedroom to about $1,100 for a three-bedroom, Johnston said.
Permits filed with the city of Covington showed that the project is set to include eight buildings ranging in size from 14,000 to 30,000 square feet.
Johnston said his company found a huge demand for multi-family development in Newton County because of its population growth and new jobs being created.
The county’s potential for economic growth and its ongoing vibrancy — personified by the Covington Square — “impressed investors” in the project, he said.
“The community has a nice vibe about it,” Johnston said. “We are delighted to be in Covington.”
Arbour Valley has developed about 20 complexes in Georgia, Alabama and Florida, Johnston said.
Its leaders began searching in 2017 for a suitable site in the Covington area before finding the 15-acre site on Ga. Highway 36.
The company then broke ground for the Arbours at Covington complex in November 2019.
They then were forced to work around unusually wet conditions for months in the spring to do engineering work on the site, he said.
Since then, they installed underground piping and built retention ponds, he said.
They are now installing roads and building pads, Johnston said.
