COLUMBUS (WCMH) — A south side neighborhood is being revitalized thanks to an initiative by Nationwide Children’s Hospital. That initiative, called Healthy Neighborhoods, Healthy Homes, is developing newly renovated affordable homes in the area.

Gary Gransom is a proud homeowner living in the south side neighborhood he grew up in.

“Since I’ve been here in 2013 I’ve seen a drastic change,” said Gransom.

Those changes are newly built, rehabbed and renovated homes, part of a non-profit housing development initiative with Nationwide Childrens Hospital and Community Development For All People.

“When we started this program it was only a 5-year program and we were suppose to do only 40 houses. We are going into year 9 and we’ve affected over 200 homes in the area,” said Robert Williams, executive director of Healthy Homes.

When Nationwide decided to expand its hospital, they wanted to help re-develop the community from Livingston Avenue to Stewart Avenue, bringing the neighborhood back to life with viable and affordable homes with the help of grants.

“Over the past 8 years we’ve effected vacancy by over 50 percent, we’ve reduced that,” said Williams.

Gransom, who lives with his daughter and grand-daughter, says his children will have those same fond memories he did as a kid living on the south side. He says he’s glad he took a chance on the neighborhood he once moved out of.

“They are really not trying to displace the people who are here, they are trying to improve it,” he said.