A senior housing development with a holistic approach to mental and physical wellness is expected to complete its first phase of construction by next fall, according to the project’s developers.
Shaker Pointe at Carondelet was organized and sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and is described as a nonprofit senior living campus.
It is located at 42 and 48 Delatour Road and will have 198 residential units and 38,000 square feet of office, retail and restaurant space.
Final approval for the project was granted Tuesday, April 20.
Stephen Grifferty, chief executive officer of the Alchester Group, said the project is the result of much collaboration and hard work.
`This project was the birth of a big planning effort,` Grifferty said.
He said almost eight years ago, a study performed by the Sisters of St. Joseph, and one during the town’s development of its Comprehensive Plan, identified a need for mid-income senior housing.
The site will have multiple types of housing, detached and attached and multi-family and single-family houses.
Other senior developments in town are also in the works, including Parkside at the Crossings, at 429 Sand Creek Road, which will have 68 senior condominiums and no office space. Another project on the Maxwell Road extension will have 51 senior units.
Grifferty said that although those other senior developments have cropped up recently, it takes more than restricting the age of its residents to be considered appropriate for the elderly.
`Shaker Point is so much more than mowing your lawn or plowing your snow,` he said. `It’s really quite different; it’s very unique.`
On site at Shaker Point, there will be a medical clinic, meal program and educational and recreation facilities.
`If you keep an active mind, it helps you age better,` he said.
The public section of the commons building, The Pointe, will feature `a fitness and aquatic center, multiple recreational rooms, convenience store, hair and nail salon, barbershop, three distinctive dining venues and more.`
According to information from the developers, residents will have a `24-hour staff, service, scheduled daily transportation, housekeeping service, indoor and outdoor maintenance, and extensive activities and programs among many others services.`
Some of the services will be available to other town residents who do not live in the development.
The project is in the building permit stage, and Grifferty said construction is slated for late spring, and the first phase will be complete by fall of next year.
The rest of the project will be built out over two years and is expected to create 200 construction jobs, and 48 full-time workers will be employed at the facility.
Joe LaCivita, Colonie director of planning and economic development, said the project has both architectural and practical benefits to the town.
`They’re playing a part in the town’s rich history,` LaCivita said, noting the classical architecture the development will have.
`I didn’t think we found anybody in opposition to it,` LaCivita said.
The buildings are designed to look separate, Grifferty said, but will actually be connected.
`It fits in with the Shaker theme,` he said, but is distinct enough to stand on its own. It’s `tipping a hat` to the historic architectural style.
The project is a collaborative effort among the Sisters, Alchester Development based in Latham, LeCesse Construction Services, LLC, based in Rochester and Kanalstein Danton Associates from Voorhees, N.J., who provided the plans.
`In the last few years, we’ve been amazed at the level of public interest in our mission. Shaker Pointe’s comprehensive approach to aging has been well received by seniors in the Capital Region, and our future residents can’t wait to call Shaker Pointe home,` said Sister Lauren Van Dermark, project coordinator of Shaker Pointe.
Colonie Supervisor Paula Mahan said the project serves to provide senior housing and fits with the goals of the Sisters.
`The Sisters of Saint Joseph are providing the Town of Colonie a unique senior lifestyle design at Shaker Pointe,` said Mahan. `The Sisters are an integral part of our community and Shaker Pointe at Carondelet fulfills an important role in their mission.`
Call 690-0011, go to www.shakerpointe.org or visit the information center at 678 Troy Schenectady Road in Latham for information about the development.
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