Reed: Friendship Tower problems nearly resolved

Air conditioning problems at an Atlanta apartment building for seniors are close to being fully resolved, according to Mayor Kasim Reed.

The mayor visited Friendship Tower Apartments on Wednesday after months of complaints from residents who said the building’s inadequate cooling system left many in sweltering heat through much of the summer. At one point, the problem became so worrisome that the apartment’s management was court-ordered to make the repairs and some residents were relocated to a hotel.

The apartment building is owned by Friendship Tower Inc., a nonprofit with connections to Friendship Baptist Church, said Lloyd Hawk. Hawk, the president of the nonprofit, previously served as spokesman for the church.

Friendship Baptist was one of two churches that relocated for the new Atlanta Falcons stadium and received $19.5 million as part of those negotiations.

Friendship Tower has about 90 residents.

To learn more about Reed's take on the problems and how residents feel, visit MYAJC.com.