Seniors close to getting a new center

WARWICK-Warwick's seniors are another step closer to a brand new meeting spot. The Town Board authorized bonding up to $975,000 for the project. In addition, the town is getting $80,000 from the county's community development grant program. Supervisor Michael Sweeton said he is hoping to receive even more from the county's program next year. He has requested an additional $46,000, which made it in to the county's proposal. The senior room at the town hall, which is located in the basement of the building, has been inadequate for the number of people who use it. Three senior groups meet regularly there and it the room is at its capacity. It also has no windows and not much of a cooking area. The new room will have a full kitchen and be located on the main level of the Town Hall. Plans are to have 2,750 square feet of meeting space. Sweeton said the board originally hoped to keep the price tag under $600,000. However, when the room gets to a certain size n which is equal to holding 100 people n sprinklers are required. The cost of the sprinkler system is steep, Sweeton said. Other renovations are planned as part of this project. The current senior room will expand the police department space, giving much-needed office space and additional lockers to Warwick's men and women in blue. The police department has over 50 personnel. The space was built for just 15, so it was overcrowded from the day they moved in. Preparation work has begun on the project, Sweeton said. E Builders in New Hampton won the contract to do the work, most of which should be completed by the end of the year. Sweeton said for the most part the construction will be done by Jan. 1, leaving some finishing work and landscaping. He is hoping to have an early spring opening for the seniors. This new senior room is in addition to a new senior center planned in the Village of Warwick. The Village had applied to the county in 2001 for a multi-year HUD grant for $300,000 to build a new senior center. According to funding guidelines, the project should have been started by spring of 2002 and completed by October 2002. The village requested and received an extension until the end of December 2002. Since the land for the project was tied to the proposed Liberty Green senior housing project, which is still in the planning process, the grant was pulled back. The village may apply for it again. Seniors won't have to wait for that to happen. By spring, they should have a new home at the Town Hall.