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Another Door Opens: Southern Crossing Welcomes New Residents Home

Sep 15, 2026 | News and Events, Staff & Volunteer Stories, Success Stories

Modern apartment living room with a brown sofa, armchair, round dining table, and kitchen area; bedroom visible through an open door.

There are moments when all the planning, construction, generosity and hard work suddenly become something much bigger.

At Southern Crossing, one of those moments came last week.

The beds were made. Towels hung in the bathrooms. Dishes and household essentials filled the cabinets. Every picture, pillow and finishing touch was in its place.

And then the doors opened.

New residents stepped inside apartments that had been carefully renovated, furnished and prepared for them — and for the first time, these spaces became homes.

It marks an exciting new milestone for Southern Crossing, as another phase of the property is now complete and five newly renovated apartments have welcomed their first residents.

For LifeStyles CEO Sandy Washington, the significance of that moment extends far beyond the completion of the framing and drywall, the plumbing and flooring.

“Every step taken with Southern Crossing is transformative,” she said. “It’s not just the physical aspect, but the emotional and spiritual components. Lives changed — residents, donors, volunteers and staff. This continues to be a faith walk.”

Built by a Community

Southern Crossing has always been about more than repurposing an aging motel.

It is about creating stability. Dignity. Opportunity. A place where people who have experienced housing instability can close a door behind them, exhale and know that this space is theirs.

None of it happens alone.

Businesses, churches, organizations, individuals and volunteers have stepped forward throughout the project to help LifeStyles create Southern Crossing. In this newest phase, community sponsors provided financial support for the interior buildouts of individual apartments — including flooring, cabinetry, countertops, appliances, doors and trim — while yet more brought their design expertise to deliver the finishing touches.

Six people stand inside a large, open shipping container on a rainy day, with boxes stacked in the background and puddles on the ground outside.An Eagle Scout project led by Dylan Johnson yielded cleaning supplies and paper products, housewares and dishes, small appliances and other necessities. The contributions proved invaluable as LifeStyles prepared these newest apartments for their residents. Those everyday items became part of welcoming people into their new homes.

The difference is visible in every room.

“We are extremely proud of what we are putting together at Southern Crossing as the project continues to transform the property into something beautiful,” LifeStyles Executive Assistant Kim Williams said. “The care and attention to detail that has gone into every aspect of getting these apartments ready for occupancy by those involved shows such compassion for those moving in and a desire to make a beautiful space for them to thrive.”

Step Inside the Newest Spaces at Southern Crossing

Each of the newest spaces tells its own story — and behind each is a group of people who helped make it possible.

Unit 201 | Property & Case Management Office

Unit 201 provides new office space for LifeStyles’ property and case management team, helping ensure that the support available at Southern Crossing extends beyond housing itself.

Small office with a desk, chair, computer, armchairs, plants, wall art, and window with blinds. Light wood floors and neutral decor.
Small office with a desk, computer, chair, printer, certificates, plants, and a window with blinds. A bowl of candy sits on a side table.
Small bathroom with a sink vanity, round mirror, cabinet with plant and tissues, wall heater, wastebasket, and towel basket on light wood floor.
Open-plan living room and kitchen with white furniture, a small dining table, ceiling fan, window, and potted plants on a light wooden floor.

Apartment 202 | One Bedroom

Trollinger Law sponsored the interior buildout of this new one-bedroom home. Emily Watts-Anderson and Tony Anderson sponsored the furnishings and décor, adding the thoughtful touches that made the completed apartment warm and welcoming for its new resident.

Take a video tour of Apartment 202 >>

A bedroom with a bed, dresser, nightstand, and abstract wall art. An open door leads to a bathroom with a toilet and sink. A chair and window are visible beyond the bathroom.
A small bedroom with a single bed, gray nightstand, modern art on the wall, lamp, window with blinds, and a patterned rug on a wood floor.
Small modern kitchen and living area with white cabinets, brown sofa, armchair, green rug, round tables, and overhead ceiling fan. A window provides natural light to the space.
Small open-concept kitchen and living room with white cabinets, round dining table, red sofa, armchair, and two wall art pieces; door leads to a bedroom.

Apartment 203 | One Bedroom

La Plata United Methodist Church sponsored both the interior buildout and the furnishings and décor for Apartment 203. Deborah Carrington-Smith lent her talents as decorator, bringing the finished space together into a beautiful new home.

Take a video tour of Apartment 203 >>

Modern open-plan living room and kitchen with white cabinets, small dining table, gray sofa, coffee table, and neutral decor.
Bedroom with a neatly made bed, green dresser with mirror, basket, wall clock, and two doors; window with blinds and plant on the sill.
Modern apartment interior with a gray sofa, coffee table, small dining set, and white kitchen appliances in an open-plan living space with neutral decor.
A modern bedroom with a gray dresser, bed with green bedding, wall art, and an open door leading to a bathroom. Light wood flooring and a ceiling light are visible.

Apartment 204 | One Bedroom

Washington Consulting provided the financial support for the interior buildout of Apartment 204, while Pesante Close LLC sponsored the furnishings and décor. Terri Pesante Close partnered with Willow Design (Shelby Ferriter) on the design of the apartment and helped bring the finished space to life through thoughtful decorating, styling, and attention to detail.

Take a video tour of Apartment 204 >>

A brown leather sofa with patterned pillows sits beneath two abstract paintings. A glass coffee table holds a wicker tray, vase of dried grasses, remote, and a book.
A kitchen with white cabinets, granite countertops, white appliances, a small round dining table with two chairs, and a window with a brown shade.
A bedroom with a bed, dresser, round mirror, potted plants, a window with blinds, and an open door leading to a bathroom with a toilet and shelves.
A bedroom with a dresser, mirror, and plant opens to a bathroom with a toilet and sink; hallway with closed doors is visible to the right.

Apartment 205 | Studio/Efficiency

LifeStyles sponsored the interior buildout, furnishings and décor for this newly completed studio apartment, with Cyndi Modlin lending her time and talents as decorator to create a comfortable and welcoming new home.

Take a video tour of Apartment 205 >>

A neatly made bed with striped bedding, two gray pillows, and a heart-shaped folded blanket, surrounded by white furniture and decor in a cozy room.
A small kitchen island with a tray and vase stands in a bright, compact studio space with a visible bathroom and bed area in the background.
Compact kitchen with white cabinets, island with two stools, stainless steel appliances, stacked washer and dryer, and a view into a bathroom with a shower curtain.
View of a modern studio apartment featuring a small kitchen area, a bathroom, a bed with striped bedding, wooden furniture, and an air purifier on the floor.

Apartment 206 | Two Bedrooms

This two-bedroom apartment represents another remarkable community collaboration. Michael and Sue McCook sponsored the interior buildout, while Zonta of Charles County sponsored the furnishings. Sue Davis McCook, Bonnie Baldus Greer and Lisa Holmes then brought it all together, thoughtfully decorating the finished home.

Take a video tour of Apartment 206 >>

A small, neatly organized bedroom with a bed, desk, two chairs, and a door leading to a bathroom; another room with dining furniture is visible through an open doorway.
A neatly arranged bedroom with a four-poster bed, two chairs, a window with blinds, a side table with a lamp, and floral wall art above the bed.
A small bathroom with a white vanity, mirror, and towels; a window with blinds above the toilet; bedroom visible through open door.
Modern kitchen with white cabinets, granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances, adjacent to a small dining area and a living space with hardwood floors and ceiling fan.

More Than an Apartment

Of course, photographs and videos can only show so much.

They can show the furniture. The new kitchens. The carefully made beds and thoughtfully decorated walls.

They can’t capture what it means to open that door when the home on the other side is yours.

“To see the apartments complete and their new tenants open that door to their new apartment is a gift,” Williams said.

And that is ultimately what this latest milestone represents.

Five more doors opened. Five more opportunities for stability, security and a fresh start.

The need for those opportunities remains significant. Demand for the newly available housing was so high that applications closed almost as soon as they opened. And as these residents settle into their new homes, LifeStyles is already looking ahead to the next phase of Southern Crossing.

The Work Continues

More doors must be opened. That means more opportunities for this community to be part of what happens next.

The work at Southern Crossing extends beyond new apartments to include elements that elevate the quality of life for the individuals and families that live here.

Upcoming projects will create new ways for volunteers to contribute at Southern Crossing, including helping build a recycled playground this fall, maintaining a small raised-bed garden area and painting a storage container used to house donated supplies.

That is how Southern Crossing continues to take shape: one apartment, one volunteer, one donor, one act of generosity at a time.

And with every new door that opens, this property becomes something more.

A community.

A place of possibility.

A place to come home to.