ARTISTS COLONY PROPOSED FOR CREATIVE SENIORS.Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Staff Writer BURBANK - Where do aging artists go when they retire but don't want to put down their brushes or give up their lifelong creative passion just because they no longer make a living doing it? A housing plan seeking approval from Burbank officials is designed to tap the talents of older artists and give them an affordable place to live while indulging their artistic gifts. If the project is approved, seniors living in La Dolce Vita dolce vi·ta n. A luxurious, self-indulgent way of life. [Italian : dolce, sweet + vita, life.] Senior Artists Colony would have studios, a theater and other facilities to continue their work. They also would share their talents with kindergartners at a school next door. ``It was one of the most intriguing in·trigue n. 1. a. A secret or underhand scheme; a plot. b. The practice of or involvement in such schemes. 2. A clandestine love affair. v. ideas,'' said Ruth Davidson-Guerra, Burbank's senior redevelopment project manager. ``Their proposals spoke of a senior housing project that seemed to be a cut above, if you will. It has different types of amenities, different types of common areas. ``It not only had typical arts-and-craft sort of things, but video and film editing bays, painting, studios, an auditorium auditorium Portion of a theater or hall where an audience sits, as distinct from the stage. The auditorium originated in the theaters of ancient Greece, as a semicircular seating area cut into a hillside. and screening room.'' The idea for La Dolce Vita came from Western Security Community Development Corp., a Burbank-based company that specializes in building and refurbishing affordable housing for the aging population. Tim Carpenter Tim Carpenter is an American politician, and currently a member of the Wisconsin State Senate representing Wisconsin's Third Senate District. He is currently President Pro Tempore of the Wisconsin State Senate. , vice president of Western Services Foundation, said the programs the complex plans to offer are just as important as the roof over the residents' heads - if not more important. The foundation would establish and fund those programs and services. Operators of many homes for the aging forget that their residents have led lives with a variety of interests, and those interests don't end after they retire, he said. ``When you sit down and talk to these people, you find they're just as funny and cynical, bitter and happy, and wonderful and everything else as we are,'' Carpenter said. ``They have the same need to continue to grow and learn and create and all the things that you and I want to do - they just have more time to do it.'' The project, planned for a 1 1/2-acre parcel at the southeast corner of San Fernando Road San Fernando Road is a major street in the city and county of Los Angeles. It starts off in Castaic as The Old Road, passing through Santa Clarita and the Newhall Pass, where upon its intersection with Sierra Highway near the junction of the Golden State (I-5) and the and Verdugo Avenue, is expected to go to the city's planning board Noun 1. planning board - a board appointed to advise the chief administrator advisory board governance, governing body, organisation, administration, brass, establishment, organization - the persons (or committees or departments etc. Monday. If it is approved there, it would be scheduled to go to the City Council and Redevelopment Agency in late May. The developers said they hope to get city approval before a June deadline to apply for federal tax credits. If they are successful, they anticipate starting construction at the end of 2000, and opening about a year later. The project is expected to cost between $18 million and $20 million, including purchase of the property and relocation RELOCATION, Scotch law, contracts. To let again to renew a lease, is called a relocation. 2. When a tenant holds over after the expiration of his lease, with the consent of his landlord, this will amount to a relocation. of businesses and residents already on the site. The city's redevelopment agency is expected to pledge up to $3.25 million for the project. Davidson-Guerra said virtually all of the senior housing projects in Burbank have a waiting list, and there have already been a few calls about this project. The four-story housing project is planned to have 151 rooms, with one- and two-bedroom units ranging in size from 550 to 750 square feet. La Dolce Vita would be reserved for low- and very low-income people older than 55, and it would be open to anyone who wanted to live there - not just those with an artistic resume. But an interest and background in the arts would be a plus for residents. With Burbank's live-action and animation studios Animation studio can refer to:
``There needs to be more affordable housing,'' said Gayle Migden, program coordinator for senior services at the Joslyn Adult Center in Burbank. ``We have unbelievably talented older adults in both the visual and the creative arts.'' Sean Clark Sean P. Clark is a game designer, director and programmer who worked on a number of notable LucasArts adventure games from early 1990 through to 2002. Game development history
When the developers were looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. sites, the city redevelopment agency steered them to that location, which is in a part of downtown the agency has been trying to revitalize re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. . ``The fact that it was next to a school was not only a plus but perfect for the programs that we do and that we want to do,'' Clark said. ``This actually has given us the ability to grow and explode (1) To break down an assembly into its component pieces. Contrast with implode. (2) To decompress data back to its original form. the program into a whole lot of other opportunities by virtue of it having a direct link to a school.'' Miller Principal Gail Copeland said she is interested in a partnership with the senior complex. Having access to the amenities planned for La Dolce Vita, she said, would be good for the tiny campus. ``Certainly that would be a nice facility for us,'' she said. ``Partnerships like that between schools and seniors on other occasions have been very successful.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Architectural drawing shows the planned La Dolce Vita Senior Artists Colony. Hatch Colasuonno Architecture & Planning Studio |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion