A Westmont senior housing complex has received a $6.6 million federal grant to help it build 75 housing units, with construction beginning in early 2002.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the grant for Mayslake Village Inc., a retirement complex that already houses more than 700 residents.
Rev. Larry Dreffein, president of the non-profit village, said the award will cover most of the building costs of the expansion, but Mayslake officials are continuing to pursue other funding so they can begin construction in about 18 months.
Administrator Michael Frigo said the funding shortfall Mayslake Village is working to cover is projected to be less than $1 million.
The 74 one-bedroom units and a two-bedroom manager’s unit will replace 44 small efficiency apartments built in the early 1960s.
When completed, the new units will give Mayslake Village 671 units, compared with the current 640, which include the old efficiencies scheduled for removal.
Because of the popularity of the retirement complex near Oak Brook, Mayslake officials recently capped the list of seniors looking to rent units at 1,400. The wait for one of Mayslake’s larger units can run to more than 12 years, officials said.
“This grant approval supports our efforts to provide not only a residence for our senior members, but also a community that enriches the lives and dignity of each in our Franciscan tradition,” said Dreffein.
U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.), who assisted Mayslake Village in acquiring the grant, described the senior housing complex as “a model facility.”
“I have visited Mayslake Village many times. It does an excellent job of providing affordable housing to low- and moderate-income seniors,” said Biggert.
The most recent HUD award to Mayslake before the latest grant was for about $275,000 for walkway replacement, Dreffein said.
Mayslake completed a $2 million renovation of its dining room, chapel and offices in 1996 through a combination of private donations and federal grant money.
The complex, at 1801 35th St., consists of three high-rise buildings and several low-rise apartment clusters scattered over about 40 acres of the former Peabody Coal Co. estate.
The apartments range from the small, one-room efficiencies, which are scheduled to be replaced, to three-bedroom units.
Depending on income, healthy seniors 62 and older can pay $50 to $594 a month to rent units. A small percentage of the units have no income restrictions.
Although it is managed by the Franciscans, who founded Mayslake Village in 1963, a majority of the complex’s funding comes from federal housing money.
According to Mayslake officials, the complex is the nation’s largest HUD-subsidized retirement village in a single location.
