STAR CITY, W.Va. — A Mountain State nonprofit that supports people with disabilities has plans to open an independent living facility in Star City.
PACE Enterprises, Inc., has released designs for a facility that would be located one block away from University Avenue in the heart of Star City. The proposed land for the project has been donated to the organization and happens to be the former headquarters of PACE Enterprises.
“This will be a twelve-unit facility for those that are mostly independently living with their disability, if they need additional resources or help,” said PACE Enterprises Marketing Director Joe Lefkay, describing PACE Place.
The next goal is to seek grant funding to help with construction. The proposed design is about 9,000 square feet and includes two floors, the first reserved for residents and the second designed to house the facility manager of the property. Each room will include basic amenities, community living spaces, and an open kitchen in the center so those living in the facility can converse with fellow residents.
“We plan to have pretty much a nice grand entrance, with a main living area, kitchen, and dining area as you come into the facility, and then there’ll be six units on each side,” said Lefkay.
Construction of PACE Place is projected to cost approximately $2.5 million to complete, and Lefkey expects a large portion of that to be supported through grants. Lefkay stated on WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” that they plan to explore federal grants that fund programs that provide services for people with disabilities, and if the funding goes through, construction could begin as early as next year.
“We’re in the process of applying for many different grants, one of the big ones is from the Affordable Housing Program and from the Federal Home Loan Bank to help us get things rolling with this project,” said Lefkay.
Demolition of the existing building on the site is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. Some donations have already been received assist in construction, including a $100,000 donation from the Mylan Puskar Foundation. Pending any major snags in the federal grant process, PACE Enterprises is hopeful to see shovels in the ground at some point in 2024.
“I think this is really going to serve the community and provide something that we currently don’t have,” said Lefkay.