Hamilton Apartments managers outline multi‑year renovation plan, report leasing progress

At a Dec. 11 meeting in Laredo, housing managers updated officials on repairs, leasing and a five‑year renovation plan for the Hamilton Apartments at 815 Salinas.

Managers and the property superintendent said the city provided roughly $280,000 to support targeted repairs after a bond referendum failed and that Hamilton revenues were used to complete several projects. "We had a 10 unit renovation project...and we also did the renovation of the commercial leasing area," said Billy Berlilac, identified in the transcript as the superintendent for Reswell Housing, summarizing recent work.

The update listed completed and in‑progress work: renovation of 10 vacant one‑ and two‑bedroom units across multiple floors; dining‑room floor replacement; replacement of one boiler; replacement of 24 AC shutoff valves to allow isolated repairs; replacement of a basement grinder pump; floor replacement on the fifth floor; and upgrades in the commercial leasing area that filled former vacancies. Management also reported buying 10 refrigerators for units and installing a replacement pump for the chiller.

Managers said the former post office space in the building is now leased to an insurance carrier identified in the transcript as Terra Insurance and that a restaurant, Dela Luna, opened in the commercial space and operates Monday–Friday roughly 8 a.m.–4 or 5 p.m. Staff said lease terms included introductory rent concessions to help new tenants stabilize.

On system reliability, Berlilac said replacement of about 24 AC shutoff valves allowed staff to make mechanical repairs without shutting down the entire building; he estimated that valve work cost "probably around $7,000," well under a prior $30,000 expectation. The management team said it has portable AC units on hand to support residents during chiller replacement work and that one chiller replacement is out to bid.

Officials described remaining capital work in a five‑year plan that includes additional centrifugal pumps, full AC replacement across units, modernization of the elevator to accommodate stretcher/bed transport, window and hallway repairs, shower conversions and full water and sewer line replacements. The plan was described in the meeting as costing "a couple of millions" in today's dollars, with a phasing suggestion of roughly $1,000,000 per year.

Management said vendor arrears that existed previously have been cleared and that the city supplements some staffing costs, improving cash flow. Staff reported ongoing pest‑control cycles and tenant outreach through the health department to address recurring insect problems.

The presentation also noted organizational changes: the creation of a crew‑leader position, addition of a compliance inspector and dedicated maintenance personnel to improve responsiveness and on‑site decisions.

Why it matters: Hamilton Apartments provides affordable housing in downtown Laredo and the multi‑year plan is intended to address deferred maintenance and habitability concerns that affect residents and building operating costs.

What happens next: Management said bids are out for some major replacements (including a chiller) and that they will continue phasing the five‑year work as funds permit. No formal policy action was taken on the renovation plan during the meeting.