Fallsnewspress.com - Housing planned on State Road would be geared toward seniors

by Steve Wiandt

Reporter

Cuyahoga Falls -- City Council will consider developer Joe Beirne's proposed "age-in-place" development Feb. 8.

Nicki's Walk, a new residential development, is geared toward those 55 and older and would include 20,000 square feet of new commercial space and 166 residential units on about 30 acres of land at 4610 State Road, planning director Fred Guerra told Council's planning and zoning committee Feb. 1.

According to information from the city's planning department, the overall value of the project is $24 million, and the construction value is $17 million. The planning department projects that construction will provide 75 jobs.

The department also estimates that the 20,000 square feet of commercial space would generate 53 jobs. The development itself is expected to house 294 people.

Medina-based Beirne Enterprises is the applicant for the development. The architect is Forum Architectural Services. JTS Management will own and manage the development, said Joe Beirne, president of Beirne Enterprises.

James Armington owns the land to be developed, but is planning to sell it to Beirne Enterprises, said Guerra.

Seasons Road is currently the nearest cross-street but, Guerra added, a new cross-street will be created as part of the development. The residential development will include attached-single family units, multifamily units and a congregate care facility.

"We're looking at taking our 55 and older active adults and putting them into a community where they can age in place," said Beirne during a planning commission meeting in December.

He explained the development will offer 1,200 square foot ranch homes, each with a two-car attached garage and have a social center which will include a dietitian and a social director to coordinate daily activities among residents.

Beirne said residents will lease the homes, and will be able to live in a "maintenance-free environment." Falls Village Retirement Community will provide residents of Nicki's Walk with housekeeping and linen services, transportation, activities, and wellness programs, said Michael Francus, president of the company that manages Falls Village.

Beirne said these services would be included in the lease. The lease will run approximately $1,295 per month, according to Tim Powers, vice president of Beirne's company.

Additional services available "a la carte," will be offered to residents, Francus said, including medication administration, nurse service, wound care, convalescent care, case management and medical equipment sales and delivery.

Beirne said at least 65 percent of the residents in the 166-unit development must be age 55 and older and a census will be taken annually to make sure that percentage is being maintained. A local resident said Feb. 1 he would like to have the requirement raised to 80 percent.

The Nicki's Walk development will occur in an area that surrounds the site of Buckeye Sports Center which opened in 1961, Guerra said, and offered trap shooting on the rear of the property for 10 years in the 1970s.

"What the problem is, is lead," said Guerra. "There's a lot of lead on the property."

He explained that the shooting of clay pigeons occurred over the pond and this activity resulted in lead and petroleum at the sediment at the bottom of the pond and on the soil near the pond. As a result, the pond itself will be drained and the contaminated sediment and soil will be hauled away and the pond will be refilled naturally.

Beirne said the pond will be stocked so that residents of Nicki's Walk may fish in it. The streets in the development will be public, however, the pond will be private.

The city applied for, and received a $1.8 million brownfield grant from the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund (CORF) that will be used for this cleanup. The cleanup of the site will occur before phase one starts, said Guerra. Guerra said the plan is for site cleanup to be finished this fall and construction could begin anytime after that.

Guerra said there is a gas well on the property and it is Armington's responsibility to cap it.

The current land value, according to the county is $320,000, Guerra said, and there is approximately $1.8 million worth of contamination on the site. "The negative value is about $1.5 million," he said. "Per acre, that's a negative value of $49,000."

After cleanup, Guerra continued, the property will be worth $924,000 or $30,000 per acre. Armington's sales agreement with Beirne is worth a little more than $1 million, Guerra said. When the developer has completed his investment in the property, he said, it will be worth $24 million.

"So we've taken something from a negative to a positive," said Guerra.

One resident suggested the city get in writing that Beirne will restrict the property to senior citizens 55 and older. "Without that, all you have is a high-density, multi-family, residential development," said Michael Battaglia of Peninsula.

Powers and Beirne said they would have to talk to their lawyer.

Phil Crooks of Chart Road asked Beirne to consider hiring only city residents to build the development. Beirne indicated he would consider the request.

Another citizen Feb. 1 said he has concerns about stormwater runoff from the development site to neighboring properties including a cemetery. Engineer Mike Wohlwend said runoff will be directed toward the pond.

E-mail: swiandt@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3141