PHOENIX, AZ – The City of Phoenix Housing Department and Gorman & Company held a groundbreaking for Girasol Apartments, formerly known as Sidney P. Osborn Apartments.
Girasol will replace 145 outdated public housing units with 364 new affordable, market-rate apartments in the Edison-Eastlake community.
The complex will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom mixed-income apartments for both individuals and families.
The Phoenix City Council noted that Girasol Apartments represents a new chapter in the city’s affordable housing initiatives, a key step in the revitalization of the Edison-Eastlake community through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Choice Neighborhoods (CN) program and the Edison-Eastlake Community Neighborhood Transformation Plan, known as the One Vision Plan.
The project is funded in part by Phoenix voters, who approved the 2023 General Obligation (GO) bond program approved by the Phoenix City Council. Approximately $21.3 million of the GO bond funds will be used to ensure the completion of these much-needed new housing units, helping to cover the increased costs of construction, labor and materials.
“The Sunflower Apartments are a shining example of how we are addressing our housing shortage and revitalizing our aging public housing stock,” said Mayor Kate Gallego.
The new community will serve as a model for sustainable and affordable housing, blending design innovations that meet the needs of the community while improving the quality of life for its residents.
“Gorman & Company is committed to transforming this site into a vibrant and inclusive community. Collaboration with the City of Phoenix and the local community has been instrumental in shaping Girasol Apartments into a home for hundreds of families and a source of pride for the entire city,” said Sally Schwenn, Arizona Market President for Gorman & Company.
The new development will occur in three phases of construction, to be completed between 2026 and 2027. The groundbreaking for Girasol Apartments marks the beginning of the fourth phase of redevelopment of the Edison-Eastlake community, which builds on the successes of Soluna Apartments and Harmony at the Park Apartments.
