New NorthWest Crossing Senior Housing Lodge Gets Green Light

NorthWest Crossing, Oregon's largest mixed-use community, today announced that the Discovery Park Lodge senior affordable housing project is now moving forward due to approved funds from Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS). The funding was the final piece in a process that included Low Income Housing Tax Credits, a low interest rate loan from the City of Bend and a 20-year tax abatement from the Bend-La Pine School District.

"Part of the vision of NorthWest Crossing is to include a wide mix of housing, including affordable housing," said David Ford, general manager of NorthWest Crossing. "When we saw what Pacific Crest Affordable Housing did with Bend's Mountain Laurel Lodge, we thought Discovery Park Lodge could be an integral part of the neighborhood, adding vitality to our neighborhood center and to the diversity of our residents."

Discovery Park Lodge was designed by Jim Landin of GGL Architecture and will be constructed by SunWest Builders. Construction financing will be provided by Bank of the Cascades. Pacific Crest Affordable Housing plans to break ground in early spring 2008, with units available in summer 2009. The building will be located northeast of Summit High School.

"We love NorthWest Crossing, and we jumped at the chance to develop a project there," said John Gilbert of Pacific Crest Affordable Housing, who runs the company with partner, Rob Roy. "We think that the community has been thoughtfully planned and is enlightened with its various land uses all within walking distance of each other. This makes a perfect spot for the senior residents who will live at Discovery Park Lodge."

The company expects demographics for Discovery Park Lodge to be similar to its existing Mountain Laurel Lodge. Residents will most likely range in age from 58-86 years old and the majority will be women. Seventy-five percent are expected to come from Bend and Deschutes County. Residents must have incomes below certain thresholds in order to qualify for the project.

Rob Roy added, "We are passionate about these projects. We know that seniors can become isolated when they live alone, especially lower income seniors. We design our affordable senior properties and ongoing on-site activities to encourage as much social interaction as possible to keep residents healthy and independent. Helping seniors keep their dignity is one of our goals."

Approximately 90 days prior to completion applications will be accepted through Cascade Management, a property management company that specializes in managing affordable housing complexes throughout the state. Right now, interested parties are asked to contact Pacific Crest at 541-390-9679 to be added to a mailing list. To learn more about Discovery Park Lodge prospective residents can visit www.discoveryparklodge.com.