A public hearing has been set for Wednesday, March 25, for the proposed “cruise ship on land” Resort Lifestyle Communities senior living center, to be located at the corner of North Burdick Street and Medical Center Drive in the town of Manlius.
At the March 11 meeting of the Manlius Town Board, Matt Napierala, from Napierala Consulting, the engineer firm involved in the project, made an informational presentation on the planned development.
The project will be an 18,000-square-foot, three-floor facility that includes 130 units of one-, two- and three- bedroom apartments. The overall size of the lot planned being build on is about 11.9 acres. The building layout includes two wings for apartments and a central common area to be used for dining and community activities.
The project must apply for a special use permit because the land they intend to build on is currently zoned restricted agricultural.
Resort Lifestyle Communities is a Nebraska-based company that builds luxurious independent senior living centers. As its website describes, “Walking into Resort Lifestyle Communities feels like stepping onto a 5-star cruise ship. Our all-inclusive resort-style communities offer adults 55 and over an elegant, comfortable and safe place to call home.”
The company has about 10 other communities in the country that all are constructed from a uniform building plan, said Napierala, and the one in Manlius would be the same.
According to the project’s attorney, Kathleen Bennet, the average age of the residents in these communities is 85 and the average move-in age is 77. Rent for these units range from $2,750 per month to $4,000 per month and include meals and amenities.
The services and amenities included for residents would be a 24/7 staff, medical alert systems, transportation, concierge service, valet parking, weekly housekeeping, visitor suites, a 150-seat theater, a fitness center, a whirlpool/spa, banking services, a gift shop/pharmacy, a library, a computer shop and a café, according to the company’s website.
Bennet pointed out that the community would fit into the intended use of that property because it sits near the Fayetteville Medical Center. Another reason for the property’s location is its proximity to Towne Center, which the residents would have easy access and transportation to.
Napierala said the project has already gone through many aspects of the planning process, including finding a positive SEQR recommendation, drainage studies and traffic studies. They have also met with Fayetteville Fire Chief Paul Hildreth and determined the set-up would be sufficient for fire and emergency services.
One thing Bennet said she wanted make clear is that the R5-zoned land use criteria set by the town planning board would be looked at as guidelines for the project, rather than strict regulations.
“We’re very concerned about not having that condition imposed on a special permit when we don’t satisfy so many of those criteria,” Bennet said.
Some of the criteria recommendations for R5-zoned land use that the project does not meet include a lot area more than 10 acres, parking space requirements and height of the building not being more than 40-feet. Bennet pointed out there will be 166 parking spaces, although the R5-zoned land use recommends 254 parking spaces for a project of that size. Other Resort Lifestyle Communities have proven that amount is enough because many of the residents would not be driving and transportation is an included amenity for all residents, said Bennet.
Richard Rosetti, the most recently appointed town councilor who sat on the planning board when the project first started it planning process in October, told Bennet the R5-zoned land use criteria is written in a language so that it acts as a guide — they are not strict rules for approving a project.
The public hearing for the special use permit is being held at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25 at the Manlius Town Offices, 301 Brooklea Drive, Fayetteville.
Hayleigh Gowans is a reporter for the Eagle Bulletin. She can be reached at [email protected].
