The townhouses will be fully accessible and offered to seniors to rent

St. Joseph’s Housing Corporation is planning to begin construction of 28 rental townhouses geared to seniors on its land this spring.

“There is a housing need in the County of Wellington and Guelph, so we have been working on this for quite some time to meet the need in the community,” said Sharmilla Rasheed, chief financial officer for St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph.

The 28 semi-detached townhouses, collectively called Silver Maple Townhomes, will be constructed on a five-acre portion of vacant land facing Westmount Road, directly adjacent to St. Joseph’s Health Centre.

The townhouses will remain owned by St. Joseph’s Housing Corporation and offered to seniors to rent.

“The object is to provide housing for seniors in an affordable manner,” said Rasheed.

The two-bedroom townhouses are intended for seniors with mobility issues or disabilities and are being constructed as a single-level home with no steps.

“They are designed to be fully accessible and will have some services linked to the health centre,” said Rasheed.

The project will house between 28 and 56 seniors, depending on whether the occupants are single or move in with a second senior.

Rasheed said local contractors will be employed for the construction of the townhouses.

The preliminary cost of Phase 1 of the project is $7 million, with construction expected to begin in early spring. Phase 1 of the project is expected to take one year to complete.

A second phase still in the early planning stages would see an affordable housing apartment building constructed on another portion of the plot of land.

“We are actively working with management and the board, as well as with external parties, as to what Phase 2 will look like. We’re not ready to disclose it,” said Rasheed.