Ulster Park, NY

GROUND BREAKING FOR THE BIRCHES AT CHAMBERS

Affordable Senior housing is in short supply in many communities nationwide. This is a need in the Mid Hudson Valley. One of my specialties is working with seniors and I do get calls from children of seniors desperately searching for a senior complex.

One organization that saw the need and has built a few senior complexes in the Ulster County area is Birchez Associates LLC, one located in Saugerties and another in Esopus and a third community in the Town of Ulster'

On February 9 2009 they announced their latest project The Birches at Chamber, which is being constructed adjacent to the current Chamber Court. This is budgeted at $15 million dollars and will be a 66 unit development that will be green friendly. Significantly Birchez also debuted a partnership with ELANT Inc. This is a key component of health, medical and lifestyle support that either has been missing from many other similar developments or available through a patchwork of multiple agencies. The architecture, combined with the ELANT partnership allows seniors to age in place. Many seniors who now live on their own, dread the day when they will have to give up their apartments because they need some type of assisted living. In this case ELANT will provide health services and support on site.

The Birches at Chambers developed in colloboration with DHCR(NY State Division of Housing and Community Renewal) has funding from public and private sources.

Application for one of the units can be obtained at: www.birchez.com

Number of units: 66

# of 1 Bedroom: 52

# of 2 Bedroom: 14

Income directed or housing-cost burdened: 8

58 units will range from $596-$712 based on an income formula

$750-895 for 2 bedrooms

What is included in the rental?

All units include water, heat, hot water, trash removal, discount rates for cable and Internet.

I think that having all units wired for Internet is a terrific idea as more and more seniors are going on-line.

This development will build the 2 bedroom units to accommodate medical equipment and have a place for caregivers to stay. This is certainly an enhancement that will be welcomed.

Highlights of Development

• Community room - includes full kitchen for events.
• Fitness Center
• Library with Computer Lab
• Crafts Room
• Media Room
• Energy Star Appliances
• Bus services provided by Ulster County Area Transit
• Emergency Call System
• State of the Art Closed Circuit Security System
• On Site maintenance staff
• Senior Staff advocate.

This project is projected to open this summer, according to Steve Aaron, founder and managing partner of Birchez.

Until I moved to Ulster Park NY, seeing a deer was an exciting event. Their graceful beauty always amazed me. They still are beautiful creatures, but I miss my flowers. As soon as I plant anything the deer think I have set a feast for them to enjoy.

Our yard is full of deer- We bought our home four years ago. We moved into our home in April 2004 and were amazed by the daily visits of a lovely doe that I named Princess. In a matter of weeks we became aware that Princess was expecting. In June she came into the yard followed by her twins- My husband who is a deer hunter and studies white tail deer said they were days old the first time we saw them. It turned out that the fawns were a doe and a buck, I call Bucky.

In the 4 years, our backyard deer population has grown to about 13 regular visitors. I have only named Princess and her son Bucky. Our herd is like clockwork, at dawn and at 4:00pm they are in our yard eating the new grass. In the winter they stripped all my bushes except on lone rose bush.

These deer are nearly domesticated- If we walk outside when they are in the yard they pick up their heads to be sure we are not getting any closer than 20 feet or so and go back to eating. Oddly enough they have befriended our very vocal Yorkshire Terrier. When Boomer is out on his leash- They know just how far he can go and taunt him by standing several feet away from his limit.