Opportunity Village to showcase possible senior housing options

(Above) Rendering of townhomes at Opportunity Village, Clear Lake campus, courtesy of Bergland + Cram.

Open houses planned to gauge potential interest

Two open houses are planned to share with the public preliminary plans to redevelop and repurpose Opportunity Village’s Clear Lake campus into a senior-focused residential community.

Open houses will be held on Wednesday, May 3, from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Lakeview Room, located at the Clear Lake City Park Bandshell, and also on Saturday, May 6, from 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the Clear Lake Public Library Community Room.

Community members are invited to the public meetings to view the first phase of the project, and also to allow Opportunity Village and project partners to gauge potential interest in the planned housing units.

To be named “The Terraces at Glen Oaks,” the redevelopment plan recently approved by Opportunity Village’s Board of Directors includes converting five vacant residential cottages into three-plex units ranging in size from 1,800 to 2,500 square feet in two- and three-bedroom layouts. The proposal also includes garages for each unit and access to the campus’ existing swimming pool, gymnasium and garden space.

“These two open houses provide a platform for us to capture people’s interest in the proposed townhome concept. We are excited about this solution for the reuse of existing Village homes,” said Jeff Nichols, chief executive officer of Opportunity Village. “We believe the concepts will capture the interest of people looking for a housing alternative to single family homes or multi-unit complexes in the Clear Lake community. Access to the many other amenities of the campus such as a swimming pool and walking trails lends to the appeal.”

For the past year, Opportunity

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Village’s Board of Directors has considered multiple proposals to repurpose and redevelop the organization’s campus located on the north side of Clear Lake.

This past March, in order to comply with a 1999 Supreme Court decision stating individuals with disabilities have a right to live in desegregated settings, Opportunity Village completed the transition of 120 individuals who previously lived in cottages located on the Clear Lake campus to smaller homes in communities of their choosing. In these new homes, individuals continue to receive support and services from Opportunity Village staff.

Opportunity Village now provides a majority of its services in off-campus settings.  The organization’s Clear Lake campus still houses and supports 42 individuals residing in four cottages, as well as the Children’s Autism Center.

This senior focused residential community phase of the project will focus on repurposing the five vacant cottages located on the property.

Construction is slated to begin this summer.

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