Renovation on mold-plagued apartments

[Guest guest]

http://www.messenger-inquirer.com/news/kentucky/8488867.htm

Renovation on mold-plagued apartments to start in

August

Group also building eight cottages

05/29/05

By Owen

Messenger-Inquirer

Renovation of a senior citizens apartment complex

plagued by mold is scheduled to start in August. In

the meantime, the owners are adding more free-standing

" garden homes " next door.

The renovation work will be on Friendship House, the

four-story apartment building at Maplebrook Village

near East Parrish and East Byers avenues.

The owner, Christian Care Communities, formerly known

as Christian Church Homes of Kentucky, hopes it will

reopen by early next year.

Construction on the eight cottages will begin this

fall and should be finished in the spring, said

Watkins, president of Wabuck Development Co. in

Leitchfield.

His company previously built 14 units in the

Baptisttown area of Owensboro.

Friendship House was a $3 million project that was

nearly 10 years in the planning before it opened in

1997. The 54-unit complex provided low-income housing

for people age 62 or older. It filled quickly.

But by late 2001, residents were complaining about

health problems. Mold was found on walls, in closets

and near heating and air vents. Tests found 10 or 12

types of mold. Experts said one was toxic.

By March 2002, all the tenants had moved out, and the

building was empty.

" Mold is everywhere, " but it has to have moisture to

grow, Watkins said.

Eliminating the problems at Friendship House is

expected to cost $1.5 million, he said.

Lawsuits by Christian Care Communities against two

Louisville firms, Fidelity Construction and architects

Nolan and Nolan, are pending in Daviess Circuit Court,

said Suellen Brill, director of public relations for

the housing program.

The new garden homes will cost $750,000.

The project is being financed with a grant from the

Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati and tax credits

from the Kentucky Housing Corp. to attract investors,

usually large corporations, Watkins said.

Federal Home Loan is " like a wholesale bank, " he

explained. " They're required by law to take a

percentage of their profits and use it for affordable

housing. "

The tax credits and grant were both competitive

awards, Watkins said. It has taken so long to reopen

Friendship House because it was so complicated to get

the financing worked out, he said.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

provides rental assistance for Friendship House

residents who are 62 and older and meet income

guidelines.

The cottages are not rent subsidized. They are for

people 55 and older who meet income limits.

Christian Care Communities already has 12 similar

houses at Maplebrook Village. The new ones will be two

bedrooms instead of one and will cover 900 square

feet, Watkins said. They also feature an emergency

call system, Brill noted.

They will rent for $415 a month, with all utilities

included.

" We really think there is a lot of demand, " Watkins

said. " Owensboro is a city that has not had a lot of

new affordable housing built in the last 20 years. "

" A lot of senior adults are interested in moving to a

community, " Brill said. " You retire to a lifestyle,

not just a place. One of the features is no

maintenance. "

Christian Care Homes operates senior adult facilities

in eight cities, including Bowling Green. The one in

Louisville is the largest private, nonprofit, assisted

living facility in the state, Brill said.

Owen, 691-7304,

kowen@...

__________________________________

Discover

Have fun online with music videos, cool games, IM and more. Check it out!

http://discover./online.html