GRAVETTE -- Residents at the North Arkansas Senior Housing of Gravette (formerly Gravette Senior Citizens Housing Complex) are getting a shelter from the storm as well as a new room where they can gather with their family and friends.
The North Arkansas Senior Housing of Gravette is home to about 20 residents who are 55 years of age or older. The apartments each have one bedroom, a living room, dining room and kitchen. The Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Arkansas is the owner and manager of the apartments.
The Agency became concerned for the safety of the residents due to the number of severe storms that have occurred over recent years in this area. They applied for a grant from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management to build a storm shelter and were successful in getting the grant.
The grant pays 75 percent of the $124,808 construction cost. The Agency pays the remaining 25 percent. The storm shelter is 503 square feet and is designed to accommodate the residents from the Billy V. Hall Senior Housing too. The design is to allow people temporary shelter when there is an imminent threat from tornadoes or high winds but not for a lengthy period of time such as overnight.
The Agency has also recently worked with HUD to do some upgrades to the apartment complex. This required the Agency to refinance the loan they had on the apartments. When the Agency was considering the remodeling, they wanted to add a large room where the residents can meet as a group or host a gathering of their family. In the negotiations with HUD for funding to remodel, they were able to secure enough money to add a room that could be joined to the storm shelter. The room is 870 square feet in size. They were also able to add additional parking that will make it easier for some residents to park closer to their apartment. The total cost for the room and the parking is $176,225.
Winter weather has delayed work but the Agency is expecting the project to be completed in late spring.
Center Point Construction is the contractor for the project. Jim Mayer, with JKJ Architects, is the architect. Annette DeWert is the manager for both North Arkansas Senior Housing at Gravette and the Billy V. Hall Senior Housing Complex.
Community on 02/05/2014