Girard gets state funding to build senior living complex

The mayor said the city needs to additional senior space.

By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

GIRARD — After several years of waiting, the city has received enough funding from the state to get rid of a run-down school building and build a senior living complex.

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, said $9 million in state funding will be divided between Girard and Newton Falls. Newton Falls will build an additional 40 senior living units with its portion of the funds.

Girard will receive enough state funding to build a three-story senior facility for low-income residents called Girard Manor. Mayor James Melfi said the city’s portion of the money will be about $5 million.

The grant money makes a reality the deal struck earlier this year between the city, Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority and Dr. Chandler Kohli, current owner of the property where the senior facility will be placed.

The deal calls for the demolition of the run-down school building on North Avenue owned by Kohli.

Donald W. Emerson Jr., executive director of TMHA, said the housing authority will then place the senior complex with about 40 units on one parcel of the property. Kohli would maintain ownership of the rest of the property.

TMHA currently operates an 80-unit facility, Northview Senior Citizen high-rise, also on North Avenue. Emerson said the new facility will help take some of the demand off the existing facility.

The plans were contingent on successfully obtaining the state grant, something Melfi said he has held as a priority since becoming mayor nearly seven years ago.

“When I was running for office, I saw this as a priority. This is the completion of a dream that I have had for seven years now,” he said. “Seven years ago I put this in the hands of Don [Emerson] and he would not let it go.”

According to Melfi, the city had applied for the state funding on two previous occasions, but was turned down.

Emerson said the funding has now been secured, but there may not be any groundbreaking for a while.

“I figure we are a couple of years away from digging of actual dirt,” he said. “There is a long process we have to go through with HUD.”

Melfi said he would like to see the project started much sooner. He said seniors now have an 18-month waiting period to get into the senior facility in the city.

That wait “is unacceptable,” he said. “We really have a need here and I want to see that need met as soon as possible.”

jgoodwin@vindy.com