Laburnum Gardens Apartments: “It’s a Beautiful Place”

Bloomingdale complex, supported by County, helps meet demand for affordable apartments for seniors
Luz Noesi-Troncose knew right away that Laburnum Gardens is where she belongs.

One of her daughters, who lives locally, found the new, affordable apartment complex for seniors at 1146 E. Bloomingdale Ave. “She called me and said, ‘Mommy, this is a beautiful place,'” says Luz, who lived in Raleigh, North Carolina, but wanted to be closer to many of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in Florida.

Mother and daughter toured the apartments, which are supported in part by Hillsborough County Affordable Housing Services. Luz moved into a two-bedroom unit in May, when the 81-unit, $9-million complex opened.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Aug. 1.

Hillsborough County contributed $275,000 to the project, and waived some development impact fees. The County partnered with the developer of the complex, Southport Development, Inc., and others.

Support of Laburnum Gardens is part of the County’s commitment to provide affordable, safe, quality housing to people with low and moderate incomes. Rental accommodations for seniors in particular are needed in Hillsborough and other Florida counties.

This year, Affordable Housing Services plans to add more than 575 apartments and residences, including Laburnum Gardens.

The Bloomingdale Avenue campus’ two- and three-story buildings are fully occupied by people age 55 or older. Prospective residents’ maximum incomes range from $18,760 to $40,140, depending on family size.

One-bedroom apartments are $414 to $508 monthly, and two-bedroom units are $654 to $796. Five apartments are designed for residents with mobility challenges, and two units can accommodate people with hearing or vision disabilities.

There’s a fitness center, community room, boardwalk, and shuffleboard court, among other amenities.

“We were looking for a small place, and kind of bumped into it,” says Armando Ocasio, who moved to Laburnum Gardens from Brandon with his wife, Olga. “For me and her, it’s just great.”

Luz and her new friends at Laburnum Gardens enjoy cooking, shopping, and doing aquatic exercises at a nearby YMCA. She echoes her daughter’s sentiment about her new home: “It’s a beautiful place.”

Photo: Luz Noesi-Troncose feels at home at Laburnum Gardens, on Bloomingdale Avenue.