Housing for seniors is a big success
CRANBERRY TWP — Affordable senior housing was one of the main priorities outlined in the township's comprehensive plan established more than a decade ago to plot the growth and development of the township.
With a partnership with the township and developers, the first affordable senior housing complex was completed just more than a year ago.
It has been so successful, the Butler County Housing Authority has an opportunity to build a second senior housing facility as part of the township's largest land development project to date, Park Place.
The first senior housing, The Rolling Road Regency Apartments, took more than five years of planning and work to complete.
The complex at 100 Rolling Road features 50 one-bedroom units for individuals 55 and older. The complex also includes handicapped accessible units for the hearing and visually impaired.
"The whole building filled within 60 days of its opening," said Perry O'Malley, director of the Butler County Housing Authority. "We now have a 13-year waiting list. It probably would be longer, but I think some seniors when they learn how long the list is, stop calling."
The cost of the project was $5.3 million, with $3.7 million for construction costs and another $1.6 million for other costs such as land acquisition, and legal and financing expenses.
Rolling Road Regency was the first county affordable senior housing complex to be built in Cranberry. It has joined other affordable senior housing sites in Butler, Chicora, Evans City, Zelienople and Slippery Rock that are also operated by the county housing authority.The apartments are 540 square feet each with all utilities included. The facility also has video security, senior transportation, landscaped garden areas, a community room, activity center, library and computer center.Access to the apartments is off Rolling Road with the front of the building designed with a drop-off circle and parking for residents' cars.The facility, designed with a half brick, half siding look, has covered porches in the front and back of the buildings as well as benches in the rear grassy areas.The housing authority is already looking at the future as it has partnered with developers Marty and Larry Dorsch and the township in an attempt to provide a second senior housing complex that would be an extension of the Park Place development.Park Place will feature a mix of housing types interspersed with retail and offices and an array of small parks giving the development a small-town feel.The township has given approval for the first phase of the three-phased Park Place, that when completed, will include 796 residential units and 15,000 square feet of retail-office space."They believe we're an asset to the community and we're good neighbors," said O'Malley of his partners in this potential second senior housing project.The township earlier this year approved a zoning overlay district that would permit the senior housing complex to be built on about 15 acres near the entrance to Park Place on the west side of Powell Road.O'Malley said the authority also is looking to build another facility similar to Rolling Road Regency that would be between 75-85 units. The building would have a similar look as the buildings approved for the Park Place development.The authority wants to submit its funding application to the state by April 8 and hopes to know within six months if the project will go forward.O'Malley said if everything falls into place with funding and land development approvals, construction on the new apartments could begin by the spring of 2007.
