If all goes well, the western part of Clifton Park may have an 80-unit, affordable senior housing complex constructed as early as 2010.
Conifer Realty presented a plan for Conifer Village, a proposed development on the corner of Route 146 and Waite Road, at the Monday, Oct. 15, town board meeting.
Andrew Bodewes, the project director with Conifer, said the plan still needs zoning, planning board and town board approval. If all goes well, Conifer hopes to start construction on the 28-acre project by spring 2009 and start moving residents in by spring 2010.
The thing that really is important to us is that we produce quality housing, Bodewes told the town board. `We’re not just a developer who comes in, develops a property, and walks away. We’re in it for the long haul. We own and manage everything we develop.`
The L-shaped building would be three stories. If the plan is approved and completed, eligible renters would have to be at least 55 years old and make no more than 50 to 60 percent of Clifton Park’s median household income, which is approximately $33,000 per year.
Anyone making more than 60 percent of the median income would not qualify. Some of the apartment units will be reserved for residents making no more than 50 percent of the median income, while others will be reserved for residents under 60 percent.
`It’s really designed for folks who are on Social Security and on a fixed income,` Bodewes said. `It provides a really nice, quality, affordable place for them to live.`
Bodewes estimated that the rent will be between $520 to $640 for a one-bedroom apartment and $620 to $750 for a two-bedroom unit.
Gavin Vuillaume, with Environmental Design Partners, is the project engineer.
`Right now, we’re really just concentrating on the site itself and the zoning aspect of it,` he said. `We think that with all the hours that we’ve put into it, this is probably one of the best layouts that we’ve come up with.`
The building will include areas for exercise, computer use and a common room. Conifer also plans to contract with local salons and doctors to come on to the property for residents.
The corridors of each floor will be painted a different color, which Bodewes said would make it easier for residents to recognize where they are in the building.
The building will also have an emergency call system. When residents activate it, a monitor will tell the manager on duty or emergency personnel who activated it and where they are located in the building.
Clifton Park resident Norm Goldman spoke in support of the plan.
`I have been an advocate for affordable senior housing that would permit people who don’t qualify for the very low income, federally subsidized housing to take advantage of it,` Goldman said. `This seems to fit the bill.`
Councilman Sandy Roth said that numerous plans for senior housing have come before the board in recent years, but that Conifer Village is the first affordable plan.
`There are seniors that want to stay in our town, and market value is not where they can stay. They need something that is more affordable,` Roth said. `That thing is going to be 80 units. I bet you they’re going to have 400 to 500 applicants.`
Roth asked Vuillaume if the plan included any trails.
`I don’t believe Conifer feels with the community and the age population that we’re dealing with that we need an extensive amount of trails,` Vuillaume said. `Certainly if there was a master plan where a sidewalk or a trail could be extended either along Waite Road, or somewhere else within the project that could connect to, I think that probably would be something we’d be willing to work at.`
Nineteen acres of the property are designated wetlands, and the plan only calls for construction on about 4 acres. The parking lot will have capacity for 90 spaces.“