It's taken five years to get off the ground, but a community designed to give special needs adults the tools they need to live their best lives is now under construction in Tallahassee.
Tuesday's groundbreaking happened in Southwood, across the street from Florida High. Many of the nearly 200 people at the event had special needs family members themselves. One of them was Independence Landing Board Member Cindi Goodson.
"My son Brantley is 25 and he has cerebral palsy. And hopefully, he'll be a resident here one day," she remarked.
Independence landing has long been a dream of Allison Tant, a Tallahassee state representative. She said phase one of the $21-million-dollar project, a portion of that coming from state affordable housing funds, should be welcoming its first residents in a little more than a year from now.
"With 70 adults and we'll hope to get to phase two as soon as we get phase one perfect."
The idea, she said, is to give those residents all the resources they need to be fulfilled, self-directed and happy.
