All seemed to agree that the Bainbridge Senior Community Center is bursting at the seams, with association membership growing from 700 to over 2,000 the past six years.
Reed Price, executive director of the center, talked to the BI City Council Jan. 16 about ideas to expand the facility.
But even though the association would be raising the funds for the expansion, many on the council practically demanded it include an affordable housing element.
And deputy mayor Jon Quitslund was the only one to speak out that placing such a demand would require the city to share the responsibility for the project. “We can’t just look to you folks. We’ve got to get behind it,” he said. “The city shouldn’t be the top dog” and just tell you what to do. “We should be on equal footing. It’s the city’s fault if we don’t keep it going.”
Mayor Joe Deets and councilmembers Kirsten Hytopoulos and Brenda Fantroy-Johnson explained their disappointment that the project did not include affordable housing, especially for seniors.
Hytopoulos said since the city owns the land and affordable housing is such a huge goal for BI that it only makes sense. Fantroy-Johnson said she thought there was a proposal for such housing to go on a second story on the new building. Price told her that was one of the ideas, but the senior center has been unable to find a partner for it.
In introducing the topic, city manager Blair King said there are three plans for roughly the same site where the center is now that would increase the size of the building from 6,000 square feet to 20,000 square feet. The city could continue to use it for things like a cold weather shelter.
Price reminded city leaders that the expansion really is not a new idea as it was first raised in 2007. Plans were delayed because of the recession that soon followed as many city services were cut back. There also was a change as the nonprofit association paid for improvements and took over management of the building from the city. Then COVID hit.
As to affordable housing, that obviously would add to the fundraising costs. Price said in the long term it might make more sense for such housing to be adjacent to the center, rather than a part of it.
Architect Charlie Wenzlau said there are 5.5 acres where such housing could be integrated into Waterfront Park space. The senior center would use about one-third of that acreage. The three designs would connect the town better to the waterfront, with an entryway on the north side and parking underneath. The designs include one where the current one is and ones to the west and east that would allow the current site to be used until the new one is finished.
A memo in the meeting agenda says, in part:
The BISCC has been flourishing since it became an independent, nonprofit in 2017. The center is recognized as the “go-to” place for assistance and engagement for people 50+ on BI and is focused on community building— collaborating with other nonprofits, schools and government agencies to do our part to make BI a safe place to grow up and grow older.
“We anticipate our project will provide more community services including support groups, legal aid and wellness programs. An expanded facility will allow for increased use for community forums, discussions book groups and information sessions, and would further work to integrate senior citizens into the wider community, benefiting people of all ages. While BISCC is taking the lead, we intend to engage city staff and the community for input. We expect that 2024 will be focused on design with a plan to publicly fundraise in 2025. If successful we anticipate construction in 2026.”
