Update given on Senior Center Living project

Consultants working on a project to convert the old Center School into a senior living facility gave community a progress update last week, at a gathering Tuesday night at the Voltage Coffee House.

Patti Westby, of Westby Associates, Inc., said a feasibility study is done after gathering input from a series of 84 interviews with "prioritized contacts," community members and stakeholders.

They were gathering feedback and "estimating potential support" for what is likely a $15 million project to build an "assisted living and memory care facility" in Grand Coulee.

"It's feasible," she said, citing "strong demand" in the local area for a "private-pay assisted living" facility, according to their market study.

"There's more than enough demand to fill the 50 units," said Randy Trettivik, the chief financial officer for Senior Services of America, which would plan on managing the facility with 32-40 full-time employees.

SSA operates 19 such facilities in three states, totaling over 14,000 "apartments offering life enrichment programs and care services for seniors," a PowerPoint presentation stated.

The Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center donated funds in 2022 for the market study.

It concluded that:

• The community could support a range 114- 217 assisted living beds, with demand for Medicaid beds at 115-153.

• Competition is limited; only 227 beds were available, and

• Two-thirds of those in the community over 75 can afford assisted living.

Funding for the project could include Washington state legislative support, foundations and grants, federal funding, private philanthropy, and financing.

Westby Associates has identified potential support for over $8 million.

A local non-profit board guiding the "Center Senior Living" project "has done quite an awful lot," said Herb Sherburn, a board member, addressing concerns voiced in survey responses.

He detailed that a market study, and architectural and engineering study, a feasibility study and a rendering of the envisioned finished facility have all been done, and "qualified stakeholders" engaged: Westby, SSA, and Careage Construction, which has built 400 health care projects in the nation.

Board Chair Rachael Seekins said the facility business plan will include long-term upkeep and maintenance needs with a strong business plan, financial reserves required by lenders and regulations and licensing requirements.

Seekins said the board had listened when people worried the project was too big, cutting its scope back and its potential cost by about $2 million. Switching to an assisted living only facility would help with cost reduction during a new phased approach. Some with memory issues could still live there, and the board would hope to add memory care in the next phase.

Next steps will include:

• launching advance gifts strategy, including ongoing work with elected officials to advance potential public funding,

• continued project phasing as indicated,

• Preparing and planning for campaign launch

• continuing to gather letters of support from local businesses.

That local support is crucial when seeking government support, noted Rachel McClure, Congressman Dan Newhouse's norther district office representative.