Senior Apartments Slated for Orchard Park

Calamar, a full service real estate organization with divisions in construction, development, property management and finance & investment, celebrated with a ground breaking ceremony to signify the start of construction on a new senior community on Weiss Avenue that has been in the planning stage for nearly three years.

Calamar purchased 23-acres of vacant land and is commencing construction of Eagle Crest Senior Village.  Eagle Crest will be a 2-story senior apartment community comprised of ninety (90) one and two bedroom units for those 55+ young located in a naturally landscaped, treed setting that is close to shopping and services.  Calamar is donating 16 of the 23 acres of land to create a park further exemplifying a park atmosphere for the residents.   The project also includes the extension of Weiss Avenue with a cul de sac to allow easy ingress/egress.

The apartments will feature Calamar's "classic" model providing spaciously sized living units within a very affordable rent structure, combining many amenities into the rent fee.  "Our philosophy is to provide truly affordable rents for the middle income bracket.  There are many programs available for those with income restrictions as well as the high-end, expensive retirement communities.  We're filling that void in between and providing a much needed and sought after product", said Calamar Assistant Director of Senior Services Sam Reeder.  "One of the ways we help our residents stay independent is through our SELF (Seniors Empowered to Live Life to the Fullest) program where residents can choose and easily access a multitude of goods and services on an "al a cart" basis creating much greater cost effectiveness.  Calamar is partnering with select agencies and vendors to provide services to our community as well as reduced rates on a variety of products.  This program was developed as an added feature to empower our residents to select only the specific services they may require, as they need them.  This differs greatly from other senior communities that consolidate all the services they offer within the residents rent plan, whether those services are utilized or not", Reeder said.

Eagle Crest represents a $10 Million dollar investment and is the fourth senior housing project Calamar has embarked on in the last 24 months.  Calamar's most recent senior housing development is the construction of over 200 one and two bedroom units in The Woodlands Residential Village in Wheatfield, which is part of The Woodlands Corporate Center, a 120-acre mixed use development comprised of commercial, office, industrial, flex, medical, and residential properties with build-to-suit land opportunities as well as multi-tenant space.

"Clearly, there is a tremendous need for more senior housing as our population ages" said Calamar Chairman and CEO Kenneth M. Franasiak.  "The demand is overwhelming and we feel our product fills a niche that was presently void in Western New York, to bring high quality, reasonably priced senior options to the marketplace".  "The Eagle Crest project would not have been possible without the assistance of the E.C.I.D.A. which recognized the value this project generates allowing us to create truly affordable housing for the elderly", Franasiak said.  Calamar has been developing senior housing for over 20 years in Western New York and has developed and constructed over 1500 units throughout the region.

Residents of Eagle Crest can recognize significant savings by the way Calamar incorporates many of the every day services into the rents while keeping them affordable.  This also reduces the number of checks that need to be written each month.   Some amenities included in the rent at Eagle Crest are heat, cable, hot water & sewer, trash removal, a community room, a fitness center and a lounge/library.  Eagle Crest is expected to open in Summer 2011.  For more information contact Sam Reed, Assistant Director of Senior Services at 332-4841.