‘Senior Village’ set for west side of town

A “senior village” project proposed for the lower west side of Miami Lakes was approved by the town council, though the developer doesn’t yet have a healthcare company to operate an assisted living facility planned for the site.
The Graham Companies owns nearly 15 lakefront acres along Commerce Way at Northwest 146th Street.
Their project that the council approved on June 6, 2017 included 220 age-restricted apartments, the assisted living facility and a community center that were to be constructed during set timeframes.
But the council’s previous approval came up for review on Dec. 10 after Miami
Jewish Health Systems decided not to proceed as the provider of the assisted living facility.
In exchange for being allowed to begin construction, the developer offered a 60-year agreement that nothing would be built on the land slated for the assisted living facility until a new healthcare company joins the project.
The Graham Companies is also donating 1.3 acres for the community center that will be 6,500 square feet and devoted to senior citizens’ activities.
The developer plans to build the shell of that building and the town will operate it.
“We’re very happy that we have a path forward to build the community center that we’ve been talking about all of these years,” said Luis Martinez, senior executive vice president of The Graham Companies.
A majority of the council approved the revised project.
Construction of the apartments and the community center may begin mid-2020.