The Senior Center Expansion and Rehabilitation Project took a major step forward this month when the Garden City Board of Trustees unanimously voted in a special meeting to accept the gift of the model house from the Doubleday Court Development on Franklin Avenue. Project developers, The Engel Burman Group, graciously donated the house to the
Incorporated Village of Garden City. The one-story structure was originally built to serve as a model and sales office for the Franklin Avenue project.
“We are glad to have The Engel Burman Group as part of our village and thank them for this most generous gift. We look forward to providing a state-of-the art facility for our seniors in Garden City,” Mayor John Watras said.
Appraised at a value of $1.7 million, the gifted model house will be moved from its current location on Franklin Avenue to the existing senior center location on Golf Club Lane. In addition to the gift, The Engel Burman Group is also donating $175,000 needed to move the building.
The model house will be placed alongside and attached to the existing 2,400-square foot Golf Club Lane structure to create a new 6,200-square foot senior center, an increase of 3,800-square feet with the addition of the new building.
With the donation of the model house only the value, and not the cost of, the senior center project jumped from its original $1.5 million to almost $3.7 million. The increased dollar value necessitated an amendment to the original $1.5 Bond Resolution that was adopted at the October 2013 board of trustees meeting.
The amendment to the bond resolution does not change the maximum bond amount of $1.5 million that the village can borrow. However, under New York State municipal law, the increased value of the project necessitated a change in language to recognize the full value of the project.
To further offset the cost of the Senior Center’s expansion and rehabilitation, the Village has received a $200,000 grant from the Dormitory Authority State of New York (DASNY) thanks to Sen. Kemp Hannon.
The refurbished senior center will include a larger lounge area, increased storage, a larger kitchen and an enhanced patio, among other updated amenities Garden City senior citizens may enjoy for years to come.
The project is slated to begin within a few weeks and be completed by late spring of 2015.
