2015 – Bernice Saxon, managing partner at Saxon Gilmore & Carraway, P.A., attended the Grand Opening Ceremony for The Reed at Encore. The building is
named after Essie Mae Reed, a longtime Central Park Village resident. Ms. Reed was very involved in the community. She served the Central Park Village Association without pay while working as a housekeeper to make money for her family. In addition to working to overturn the policy which excluded single mothers from being allowed to live in public housing, she worked to get Boys & Girls Clubs in many of the housing authorities, and created a Tenant’s Association to represent families in public housing.
Sadly, Ms. Reed passed away in 2014, but several members of her family joined in the celebration, along with U. S. Congresswoman Kathy Castor, Mayor Bob Buckhorn, Jerome Ryans, President/CEO of the Tampa Housing Authority, and many more. Ms. Reed’s daughter, Sheila Reed Palmore, gave special remarks during the ceremony.
A bust of Ms. Reed will be placed in the senior building that has 158 units of one and two bedroom floor plans. Residents will enjoy a swimming pool, community garden, community room with a kitchen, fitness center, computer center with library, and theater.