SAN DIEGO (CNS) - City officials broke ground Monday on the Bay Terraces Senior Center, a project that local residents have advocated for since the 1990s.
Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Councilmembers Monica Montgomery and Chris Cate were on hand to mark the beginning of construction on the 3,400-square-foot facility. Once completed, the $6 million senior center is set to include amenities such as a multipurpose room and a commercial kitchen.
The facility will serve seniors in Paradise Hills, Bay Terraces and Skyline, according to the city.
``A decade ago, city leaders laid down a thin layer of gravel in preparation for a senior center in southeastern San Diego that was promised but never delivered,'' Faulconer said. ``Today we are making good on that promise and building a center that will be as great as the communities it will serve.''
Faulconer revived the project in 2016 and city officials expect it to be the city's first building to produce as much energy as it uses by leveraging solar panels on the facility's roof. According to the city, the project is partially funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant program.
``This project illustrates the hard work and power of our community to organize and hold elected officials accountable,'' Montgomery said. ``We are pleased to see the Bay Terraces Senior Center start construction and we look forward to the grand opening and visiting the center for many years to come.''
City officials expect the facility to be completed in October 2020.
