By Lisa PAREDES

A newly renovated and updated apartment building for seniors and veterans, Cypress Senior Living, celebrates its grand opening in Glendale on Tuesday, July 29. Originally built in the 1920s, the historic brick building at 311 E. Cypress Street, had been in disrepair and was severely overcrowded.

Following an extended period of planning and rehab, Cypress Senior Living opens with a host of amenities including a community garden of fresh fruit and vegetables, a public mural, a community room with a resident computer for Internet and printing access and on-site services such as health and wellness classes.

“The Cypress Senior Living affordable housing project definitely serves a need for the City of Glendale,” said Mike Fortney, Senior Housing project manager for the City of Glendale. “Affordable housing, either for families or for seniors, is in great demand in the City.”

Six of the 17 units are designated for veterans’ preference and the building is restricted to seniors 62 years of age and older earning between 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), explained Fortney. For Los Angeles County, AMI is $45,000 for a one-person household and $51,000 for a two-person household.

Over 1500 applications were received and a lottery was conducted to create a waiting list, added Fortney. The application process is closed at this time.

A collaboration between the City of Glendale, Newport Beach-based Community Development Partners and the non-profit Integrity Housing, Cypress Senior Living has been completely remodeled and modernized and includes low energy appliances, fresh paint and new flooring, cabinets, counters, showers, electrical and plumbing fixtures, heating and air conditioning units, windows and other safety upgrades.

The building also received seismic retrofitting, brand new laundry and community rooms, new landscaping along with the community garden, a new trash enclosure and a refinished parking lot with 10 spaces. Additional electrical wiring upgrades, a high efficiency water heater and more were also added.

Ten of the 17 affordable units are already occupied and two more tenants are expected to be approved in the next few days, according to Fortney.

Cypress Senior Living “provides much needed affordable housing for seniors, rehabs a beautiful old building that was in disrepair and eliminates the condition and problems associated with an overcrowded building with few parking spaces on a very narrow street,” Fortney also said.

The senior apartments are located in the heart of Glendale, close to public transportation, shopping, dining and entertainment options.

Services are provided by the non-profit Central Valley Coalition for Affordable Housing and is managed by Buckingham Property Management. An on-site manager will also live in the building.

  Lisa PAREDES