COLONIE – Colonie Senior Services Centers broke ground for King Thiel II Senior Community Monday, May 1. The project will feature 99 independent affordable senior apartments and will open in the spring of 2024.
“The groundbreaking for King Thiel II Senior Community went very well,” CSSC Executive Director Diane Conroy-LaCivita said. “The rain clouds opened up, allowing the sun to shine during the festivities.”
Among the dozens of community members and dignitaries that joined Conroy-LaCivita to shovel the ground and celebrate were Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Assemblyman Phil Steck, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, Deputy Albany County Executive Dan Lynch, Commisioner of Albany County Office for the Aging Deborah Riitano, Steve Obermyer and Rob Curto of BBL, Eric King, Kathy Thiel, Matthew Chambers Architect of WCGS Architects, and Jim Rubino of Colonie Elks.
CSSC is an independent nonprofit that has provided low and affordable independent senior housing to seniors for 25 years. According to Conroy-LaCivita, the demand for the agency’s senior housing units has skyrocketed during that time.
In fact, the first phase of the King Thiel Senior Center was fully leased to incoming seniors six months prior to its opening day six years ago on May 1, 2017. So Colonie Senior Services Center knew they had to find a way to expand.
“The demand to live at the senior center has increased to the point that seniors who wish to live at the facility have been put on a waiting list for five to seven years,” Conroy-LaCivita said.
Assemblyman Steck, D-Colonie, and Speaker Heastie provided CSSC with a $2 million grant in August 2022 to help fund the second phase of the project that included the demolition of the former Elks lodge. King Thiel II Senior Community apartments will be built in the space where the lodge once stood.
Upon the project’s completion, the new 125,629-square-foot facility will have 75, two-bedroom apartments and 24 one-bedroom apartments.
CSSC is mission driven to support older adults throughout the Capital Region to stay healthy, active and independent. There are no resident requirements for seniors to reside at the center. A senior is welcome to live at any of the center’s apartments and communities as long as they are 55+ and are income qualified.
Benefits of senior living
“The beautiful thing about living in a CSSC community such as The Beltrone Living Center, Sheehy Manor or King Thiel Thiel Senior Community, is that all of our programs and services are at the fingertips of the residents, from transportation, senior dining, health and wellness, Umbrella, and countless special events.” Conroy-LaCivita said. “Our residents can be as busy as they want to be!”