Rotary Meeting December 16, 2015
Posted by Bill Paul
on Dec 20, 2015
(REDONDO BEACH, California) December 17, 2015 -- Final approval by the Redondo Beach City Council and a vote scheduled for the spring are all that remain for approval of a new assisted living center here in Redondo Beach. The new senior facility will be located at 320 Knob Hill Ave., currently the site of the Knob Hill Community Center and formerly an elementary school.
David Witkin, a member of our club and Redondo Beach School Board member, said the project has been in the planning for several years. Billy Shields of the Fountain Square Development, a partnership of four individuals with years of experience in assisted living, plan to build a center for 130 residents.
He explained the two-story 74,000 square foot facility will consist of 96 suites, employ 130 people part and full time, return $35,000 to $40,000 property tax revenues to the city annually, and pump an estimated $450,000 into the Redondo Beach economy annually. The average age of residents is expected to be 83 to 85 years of age."
Shield said his group has "negotiated a 99 years lease with the school board for $614,000 per year. There will be no government money in this project." http://bit.ly/PLvzbp The revenue from the lease will assist the school board during a time of budget crisis. "State revenues for assisted living are declining, so this is a win win for the city," said Witkin. The school board approved the lease in October 2012.
In other business, the club acknowledged several visitors and guests. Among them Frank Parker, a guest of Pearl Davis; and Vera Jimenez, a guest of Walter Campbell and second- time visitor to the club (perhaps a new member?). Connie Siegel, a Rotarian from Pennsylvania, joined us today too.
Talking about new members, PDG Rick Mendoza inducted Robert Baker into the club. Robert is a former Rotarian from Illinois and Flagstaff, Arizona. Welcome to the club, Robert.
Jim Stickler & David Witkin presented a check in the amount of $4,000 from the club to Nora MacLellan for the Beach City Health District Vision-to-Learn project. The club has long partnered with Vision-to-Learn testing the vision of elementary grade students in Redondo Beach.