The final phase of Shaker Pointe at Carondelet, Spirit Tree Apartments, is well underway to being open for residents.
Within the next few months, the senior community should expect to see Spirit Tree up and running, with 56 new units, from a one-bedroom apartment, to a two-bedroom with an enclosed porch. Already one-third of the units have been reserved.
When the building opens later this year, it will mark the end of the Shaker Pointe project, which passed through the Colonie Planning Board in 2010. Phase two of the project, The Pointe, or commons building, celebrated its one-year anniversary after opening in January 2014.
The Spirit Tree building adds another 75,000 square feet and brings the total number of units to 162 for Shaker Pointe, meaning housing for potentially 100 more people.
According to Sister Kay Ryan, a member of the executive team, the development is currently at 95 percent capacity with deposits and residents. With Spirit Tree Apartments, the waiting list has been depleted.
Although construction began just last summer, already apartments are being carpeted and light fixtures installed. Opportunities for tours and walk-throughs will be available once construction is completed.
Like the other buildings in Shaker Pointe, Spirit Tree Apartments will undergo the same standards for LEED certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. The construction firm and architects met to discuss what steps would be taken to ensure the building is as environmentally friendly as possible. The architects had to design paint, furnishings and carpeting, said Ryan.
“It’s an extensive project,” Ryan said. She said that the Sisters hired an outside firm, Steven Winter Associates, to test airflow and the efficiency of the building, which determines the score on the LEED test. If the firm finds leakage in the sealing, the construction company will go back to fix it, which means extra expenses.
“It involves additional costs for Shaker Pointe, but the Sisters really believe in environmental care and taking care of the future. So that was a real commitment on their part to do this,” said Ryan.
Shaker Pointe has received platinum and gold certifications for its other three buildings. This past December, the housing development was recognized by “Senior Housing News” as the best independent living facility in its Architecture and Design Awards for 2014. The award was partially due to Shaker Pointe’s care to undergo LEED qualifications.
More information on Shaker Pointe, or information on getting an apartment in Spirit Tree, can be found at shakerpointe.org.
