This is a bit of a misnomer since we literally broke ground last Monday, October 19th, but this Thursday, October 29th at 2:00 PM will be the Official Ground Breaking. We will break out the gold shovels and make sure everyone gets their picture taken. Reverend Liechty, President of Garden Court, Inc., will make a short speech. Often local government officials will attend. Congressman Donnelly has been invited as well since this project is funded by a Federal Grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The site is at 110 Cale Street. It is behind the Community Church of God which fronts on Hwy 31, just south of downtown LaPaz.
We are pushing hard on this one as we would like to see it under roof before the weather turns. That may be difficult with the late start, but the schedule calls for footings to be installed by the first of next week.
We are still working towards a Garden Court in Culver next year and there is talk of another in Plymouth as well. We look forward to these additional opportunities to assist Garden Court, Inc. in the community service they provide.
Yesterday was a long day, but a good day. I went to Indianapolis for the closing on the Lapaz Garden Court. This project is a 14 unit assisted living facility in Lapaz, IN. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This will be the 6th Garden Court facility built by Easterday Construction Co., Inc. We’re pleased to have the opportunity to work with Garden Court, Inc. once again.
The closings are interesting as there is a flurry of HUD personnel in and out making sure that their different criteria are met. As always, paperwork is a big part of any government project. Fortunately the Garden Court team (Hughes & Associates, Real Estate Management and B.A. Martin Architects) has been through this multiple times in the past. I think the HUD personnel appreciate what they do and try to make things as painless as possible. This closing went smoothly and only took a little more than two hours, but in the past we have been phoning, faxing, emailing and otherwise chasing the necessary paperwork. It seems there is always one more thing required.
Thanks to the work of Garden Court and the HUD, Lapaz will have a new Garden Court facility ready to occupy by this time next year.
Culver is moving ahead with annexation of the property on South Main Street where we hope to build a Garden Court next year. (Previously discussed here and here.) Annexation is not necessary for the Garden Court, but it will facilitate the installation of water and sewer lines that will serve the new Garden Court as well as open the surrounding area to further development. This is a positive step forward for the Culver community! I sincerely hope that Mr. Roberts reconsiders his position and joins the petition for annexation.
A special meeting of the Culver Town Council was held on June 9, 2009 to discuss the possibility of a Garden Court in Culver next year. As discussed earlier here, I had approached several property owners around Town about the potential for a Garden Court project on their land. I was given the opportunity to discuss it with several of them and one, Mr. Wade McGee, has chosen to pursue it with us. Mr. McGee and I met with the Town Council on the 9th and discussed various goals including water extensions, sewer extensions, fire protection, annexation, rezoning and future plans for that property as well as the adjacent properties. Some members of the Plan Commission and the BZA attended that meeting as well and the implications regarding their various needs and requirements were also discussed.
All and all the meeting went well. In premise, it was agreed that Mr. McGee would continue to work with Garden Court on their proposed facility and would request annexation, while the Town Council agreed to extend water and sewer to the property and to support the rezoning of the property from S-1 Suburban Residential to R-2 Residential. This change is in keeping with the Comprehensive Plan and with other goals currently being pursued by the Town Council.
Following that meeting was the regular Town Council meeting. At that meeting, Reverend Liechty, President of Garden Court, Inc., renewed their request for the Town Council to support the new Garden Court for Culver and to renew their financial pledge towards the project. A letter was requested verifying that a Garden Court would be acceptable on the proposed property. All these things were agreed to by the Council.
It looks like we’re moving forward!