Minden approves 'Verandah' senior living

Proponents of a residential facility for senior citizens aged 75 and older received approval Wednesday from the Minden Town Board for the proposed community adjacent to the Minden Medical Center.

The Verandah would accommodate "active" seniors in 116 residential units with on-site access to an indoor pool, spa, bistro and movie theater.

Owner Kristina McCabe of CTH Minden LLC received Minden's support for parking and height variances and a special use permit.

The project goes before the Douglas County Planning Commission on Tuesday.

The applicant is developing the project, Minden Medical Mall, in a campus-like setting. When completed, it will include the Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center, a new 6,200-square-foot retail/office building and the 149,630-square-foot Verandah.

Project manager Phil Shapiro told the board The Verandah hopes to open in late spring 2011.

The applicant asked for a reduction in required parking spaces from 145 to 107 and a height variance from 35-feet to 45-feet for the living center.

Applicants said the height increase takes into consideration the flood plain and an effort to give residents 10-foot ceilings instead of 8 feet.

Planner Audra Miller said the higher ceilings give residents a sense of well-being important to the concept of the center.

She said the owner would be repainting the medical center, a controversial subject when it was built in the late 1990s.

Town engineer Bruce Scott said the project was a "wonderful complement" to the town.

"We appreciate a second shot at the architectural characteristics on the existing center," he said.

Resident Robert McMillan said he was wary of new construction with all the half-completed projects and empty parcels in town.

"This project sounds very good on the surface, but we are surrounded in this town by unfinished projects. It's a concern of mine and many other residents. Can you put up a bond against finishing this?" he asked.

Shapiro, who brought what is now Merrill Gardens to Gardnerville 11 years ago, said he was "very cognizant of economic conditions."

He said developers were working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and described The Verandah as "the only types of multifamily-commercial ventures being financed."

"We'll take our time to educate the community and plan a late spring 2011 opening," Shapiro said.

Officials have not disclosed the prices of the residences. Shapiro told Minden in November the cost would be market-driven.

"Affordability is really the key," he said.

Prices would be "low level to high level."

Beverly Giannopulos disputed developers' claims that seniors didn't need as many parking spaces.

"Independent people do drive, especially in a town like this where there is no public transportation. Even when they don't drive, they have a tendency to have family and friends over," Giannopulos said.

She also objected to the ceiling height, calling it "an illusion of more square footage" that would add to utility bills.

Giannopulos said seniors would rather have more floor space or storage.

Shapiro said the residences would be 30 to 40 percent larger than similar facilities in Northern Nevada.

"We've sized them to emulate a home," he said. "And we're very conscious of utility costs. It's part of our analysis."