SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A former school in the city of Schenectady has been transformed into an affordable, senior housing community. Elmer Avenue Elementary School is now Elmer Gardens.
The $23 million, 51-unit community is for residents ages 55 and older. It is all-electric, energy efficient, and offers studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments.
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The original building was constructed in 1905 and expanded in 1968. The school closed in 2018. Renovations maintain the building’s original character while meeting National Park Service historic rehabilitation standards. The apartments were created within existing classroom spaces, window openings were restored, the original auditorium is now a community room for tenants, and a new elevator was added.
The development includes fully accessible and adaptable apartments to accommodate residents with mobility, hearing, and visual impairments. There is also community gathering spaces, a fitness room, an intergenerational playground for residents’ family visits, and a landscaped garden patio.
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“Elmer Gardens is the kind of investment that matters here in Schenectady. By turning a former neighborhood school into safe, affordable housing with on-site supports, this project strengthens the surrounding community and keeps a familiar local building serving a new purpose,” Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara said. “It helps make sure people in our area have a stable place to live and reflects the kind of practical, community-focused housing we need more of.”…