Jim Shanks wasn’t present Tuesday morning as officials unveiled Dillingham Apartments, but he was very much there in spirit — and on the minds of those gathered.
Shanks was the CEO of Park Place Behavioral Health Services, and was instrumental in pulling together the funding and building partners to bring the project to life — 30 one and two-bedroom apartment units in a case-managed setting that ensures those diagnosed with mental illness or substance abuse issues have an opportunity to have a permanent and dignified place to call home.
Shanks helped break ground on it with city of Kissimmee and Osceola County officials in March 2023, but he passed away in August. The project pressed on, and Tuesday during the ribbon cutting, a plaque debuted, dedicating the James Shanks Building, honoring his near half-century dedicated to persistently advocating for the most vulnerable — those needing mental health treatment.
Park Place CEO and Shanks successor Dr. Garrett Griffin called Tuesday, the culmination of the $8.6 million, three-story community, “A monumental and important task.” Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the National Housing Trust Fund, Osceola County and City of Kissimmee provided funding.
“This offers affordable and supportive options to some of our most vulnerable citizens, those diagnosed with serious mental illness,” Griffin said. “We’ve worked hard to find the needs, for people in their darkest days. When it came time to built an apartment, we were a little overwhelmed. We’ve never built an apartment before.”
Griffin told of how Shanks would talk to those in health programs, forming the vision for Tuesday.
“Jim heard the plight of the challenges of those we serve, maintaining stable, affordable housing.”
Osceola County Commissioner Cheryl Grieb said the vision for Dillingham has been with her for over a decade, first as a city commissioner and as a professional Realtor.
“Looking at this piece of property, I knew it could be so much more,” Grieb said — on her birthday. “That’s part of why Park Place is the perfect partner. The funding source for these 30 units, it’s the first year it’s available. All the pieces fell in place.
“A lot of our chronic homeless, our veterans, suffer from serious mental health issues — this is what we need. I know Jim would be so ecstatic, because he saw the vision as well. He’s not physically with us, but he’s here in spirit and in our hearts and will always be remembered.”
Kissimmee Vice Mayor Olga Castano said the city needs more facilities like Dillingham.
“When we come together, this is what happens,” she said.
Dillingham Apartments is currently taking applications. For information call TPI Management 407-908-7050 or email Dillingham@goTPI.gov.
