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A study on a senior housing project is moving forward with a $350,000 grant through the state Department of Commerce, put into the state budget by the Legislature at the request of 7th District Rep. Joel Kretz (R-Wauconda).

It gained bipartisan support and was included in the 2023-2025 biennial budget and signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.

Center Senior Living President Cheryl Hoffman said the “funds provide planning dollars for a study to assess operating costs of an assisted living and memory care facility in Grand Coulee.”

The project got started in 2021 as community leaders, service organizations, and local businesses got together to discuss the “urgent need” for senior housing in the Grand Coulee area.

Molly Morris, Rural Services care coordinator and Center Senior Living board member, says the impact on local and North Central Washington seniors and their families will be substantial.

“The need is great in our community,” she said, noting that “2019 population numbers for Grant County alone are at 15% seniors ages 65-84. The housing stock in this community cannot support the desire of seniors to remain in their own home. With a majority of the assisted living choices a minimum of 30 miles away, our seniors must move at the most vulnerable time of their lives, their golden years.”

Hoffman said CareAge Construction of Gig Harbor, Washington has been awarded a contract to provide engineering and architectural planning. CareAge specializes in senior housing and facilities construction. The CSL board is working with the firm to determine project scope, she said, and they continue to work with Centerline Development toward a sale of Center School to house the facilty.

Senior Services of America, also of Gig Harbor, helped get the project going in 2020. They provide management services to a number of facilities in Washington State. Hoffman said the CSL board signed a letter of intent to utilize Senior Services of America as its facilities management company. They are currently contracted to provide financial feasibility studies and technical support to the CSL board. Financial feasibility is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

And Westby Associates, of Vancouver Washington, has been engaged to provide professional fundraising services. They specialize in non-profit fundraising and were instrumental in obtaining the Washington state grant, Hoffman said. Westby Associates have also represented Center Senior Living in Washington D.C. Their next step is to conduct a feasibility study that includes a series of one-on-one interviews with community members and businesses to gauge community interest and potential local support for the project. It’s projected to be completed by the third quarter of 2024.

Grand Coulee area residents will receive a contact letter from CSL asking them to participate in the study. Patti Westby, Senior Partner for Westby Associates, will be reaching out to set up these interviews.

“We’re hoping for a positive response from the community,” Hoffman said. “Community support is vital to our success and will have a huge impact on our efforts to secure future funding.”

Hoffman noted the 28 new jobs the facility will bring to the community, skilled and unskilled.

“What can’t be measured is the positive impact that the project will have on employee recruitment and retention for area employers,” Hoffman said, “and the attraction that a small community with a local, modern hospital and assisted living/memory care facility will hold for local retirees.”