by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
Construction on the Fortitude Senior Living of St. Joseph apartment building, located in Graceview Estates, began in the middle of August and is expected to be finished next May.
The building, owned by Tom Opatz and Fred Struzyk, is three stories and 40,000 square feet. It includes 47 units and an elevator. The estimated cost of the building is $5.5-$6.5 million.
Apartment units range in size from 400 to 1,100 square feet, and include full kitchens and private bathrooms.
Opatz said rental prices for apartments will vary depending on the services needed and what unit is rented. Units include one bedroom, one bedroom and den, or two-bedroom apartments.
He said they can provide services like those offered in nursing homes, such as transportation assistance, toilet and bathing assistance, medication setup and management, 24-hour on-site nursing staff and more to allow tenants to age in place.
Ten of the apartment units will be dedicated for income-qualified residents under a group residential-housing and elderly-waiver program.
“We are pleased to be entering the St. Joseph market, providing housing and care options to allow seniors to age in place regardless of their financial means,” Opatz said. “We are also pleased to expand in a community that has such a need for this type of senior housing.”
Opatz and Struzyk purchased the eight acres, a tax-forfeited property, from the State of Minnesota.
They received tax-increment financing for 14 years with the city of St. Joseph. The facility is eligible for tax-increment financing because 20 percent of the apartment units are dedicated to income-qualified seniors who don’t have the financial means to pay privately.
Before receiving approval from the city council, some residents in the area had expressed concerns about the height of the building, requesting it instead be a two-story building.
Opatz and Struzyk also own Hilltop Health Care Center of Watkins.
Work has begun on the Fortitude Senior Living of St. Joseph apartment building located in Graceview Estates. Construction began in the middle of August and is expected to be finished next May. The building is three stories and 40,000 square feet. It includes 47 units and an elevator.
Work has begun on the Fortitude Senior Living of St. Joseph apartment building located in Graceview Estates. Construction began in the middle of August and is expected to be finished next May. The building is three stories and 40,000 square feet. It includes 47 units and an elevator.
Work has begun on the Fortitude Senior Living of St. Joseph apartment building located in Graceview Estates. Construction began in the middle of August and is expected to be finished next May. The building is three stories and 40,000 square feet. It includes 47 units and an elevator.
