Del-Sano Reports Senior Housing Progress

DURMONT, NJ-The development of a $10.4 million, low-income senior housing HUD 202 project here is making steady progress. The project, which is located on the grounds of St. Mary’s Parish at 280 Washington Ave., is currently 90% complete and on schedule for delivery by December 2009.

Del-Sano Contracting Corp. serves as the general contractor for the St. Mary’s project, which is owned by Domus Housing Corp. & Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark. The project broke ground in August 2008, with the demolition of the former convent.

The senior housing project is a planned 45,000-square-foot, four-story block/plank structure, faced with brick, stucco and precast heads and sills. The building will include 49 residential, one-bedroom senior-living units for residents age 62 and older. Each 540-square-foot apartment will be handicap-adaptable and will feature Energy Star fixtures and appliances.

“The is the second senior housing project we have built for Domus and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark so we had already developed a working relationship,” says Angelo Del Russo, CEO of Del-Sano Contracting. “One of the reasons this latest project has gone so well is the communication among the Del-Sano team, owner, architect and trade contractors. As a result, we have had quick resolution to any issues that have arisen, and we are confident that this mindset will continue to serve the team well as we near completion.”

Projects such as Del-Sano’s are good news for the senior housing industry, which will need to grapple with a significant growth in the number of elderly over the next several years.

“The issue of how we will fund future long-term care has huge implications for the seniors housing and care industry,” says Anthony J. Mullen, senior fellow for National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing and Care Industry, and partner with Royal Star Properties. “My takeaway as an operator and developer in the business, is that all of the affected groups–policymakers, federal and state governments, researchers, funding sources and interested operators and industry groups–have to come together in a formal way to create dome kind of an entity to be able to stay solid and operating for many years to come.” He notes that research done by different parties tends to be better aligned and more accurate.