Paradise has new name

The controversial Paradise Apartments has a new name and soon, a new look.
Paradise Apartments on Wall-Triana Highway is now known as Spencer Trace. The apartment complex has been a source of controversy after city leaders sought to find someone to manage the facility. After looking at several proposals, the city signed a deal with Management Enterprise Development and Services Inc. of Huntsville.
MEDS started work this week. Initial work includes mold remediation, cleaning the site and preparing for landscaping and stripping apartments of bad appliances, floor coverings and other fixtures.
New signs have also been ordered.
Apartment officials said they will soon begin to advertise for tenants in order to build a waiting list.
The city reached an agreement with MEDS in December to sell the complex for $1. The development, which falls under Housing and Urban Development guidelines, needs more than $1 million in improvements.
The development features more than 50 units and is one of the few public housing sites in the city.