Senior Center Project

Parks Division
Michelle Hunt

Phone

(231) 922-4900 x 114

Project Timeline

Start: September 2023

 

A New Senior Center: Rooted in Community

The City is excited to announce the completion of the Senior Center. The opening of the long-awaited community project took place on February 3, 2025. 

The state-of-the-art facility significantly expands from 5,780 square feet to over 18,000 square feet, including covered patios and outdoor spaces. With its northward orientation, the center boasts expansive views of the park, the public beach, and West Grand Traverse Bay, offering an enhanced setting for senior recreation and engagement.

Key Features of the New Senior Center

  • Expanded Space – Growing from 5,780 to over 18,000 square feet
  • Scenic Views – Designed to maximize enjoyment of the park and waterfront
  • Sustainability – Incorporating green roofs, pervious pavement, electrification throughout the building, including its geothermal systems
  • Accessibility – Improved access to the beach, outdoor spaces, and restrooms
  • Modern Amenities – A commercial kitchen, updated furnishings, and state-of-the-art equipment
  • Recreational Opportunities – New tennis and pickleball courts, a pool table, meeting spaces, and a fitness room
  • Enhanced Convenience – Covered drop-off areas and outdoor patios

The vision for this transformative project took shape in 2022 when the City of Traverse City received a $7 million allocation from the State of Michigan, making the long-envisioned rebuild a reality. The project officially broke ground in September 2023, culminating in a total investment exceeding $10 million, funded through State of Michigan support ($7,000,000), City ARPA funds ($766,385), Brown Bridge Trust Fund ($250,000), City Funds, Friends of the Senior Center, the McCauley Trust Fund, and private donations.

Grand Traverse County provided $800,000 for future maintenance and operations. Funds were utilized for operational items such as the TVs and kitchen equipment. 

Senior Center Network Programming

The Senior Center Network will begin full programming in the new building starting Monday, February 3, 2025. To ease the transition and welcome the community, the center will be open to the public for informal visits from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, from February 3 through February 14. Visitors are encouraged to stop by to explore the facility, learn about program offerings, and inquire about memberships.

All current Senior Center Network programming, including daily lunch services, will seamlessly transition to the new facility on February 3 with no disruptions anticipated.

Senior Center Network

BATA Services at the Senior Center

  • The FREE BATA Bayline will stop at the corner of Front and Barlow (westbound) every 15 minutes. Requests for door service can be made and accommodated if time allows.
  • BATA will temporarily deviate the outbound Bayline Aero Park (eastbound) loop to the front entrance of the Senior Center building. This deviation will last for 2 weeks and may continue based on ridership and usage.
  • BATA Link is always available for direct drop-off at the Senior Center.

The Senior Center is located at 801 East Front Street, on City parkland along the shores of West Grand Traverse Bay. Since 2011, under an intergovernmental agreement, Grand Traverse County’s Senior Center Network has managed daily operations and programming at the City-owned facility.

Background

In 2018, the City of Traverse City and Grand Traverse County formed an Ad Hoc Committee to determine future reconstruction of the Senior Center. The partners engaged local firm, Environment Architects, for professional services for design and construction of a new Senior Center.

In 2020, the project was estimated to cost $5.6 Million. In 2022, an Ad Hoc Committee was formed to discuss the future of the Senior Center and explore funding options.  These discussions included a local millage, capital campaigns, and grant funding. The preliminary estimate due to rising costs of construction and materials, has exceeded $10 Million.

The project saw a major boost in 2022 when a $7 Million allocation from the State of Michigan was provided.

The City has worked with Environment Architects since that time to refine design elements and issued a Request for Proposals on July 14, 2023.

Proposed Project Elements

Square footage will increase from 5,780 to over 18,114 (including exterior spaces). The building will be oriented to the north to open park space and views of the public beach from Front Street, and will include exterior covered spaces to maximize the outdoor opportunities and the views along the shores of West Grand Traverse Bay. 

  • Building Orientation to Maximize Views
  • Increase Square Footage
  • Covered Drop Off
  • Covered Patio
  • Segmented Spaces
  • Green Roofs
  • Pervious pavement elements
  • Improved Access to the Beach
  • Restroom Access for Public Beach
  • Traffic Calming Elements
  • New Tennis/Pickleball Courts
  • Improved Shuffleboard Courts
  • Commercial Kitchen
  • Tennis/Pickleball
  • Furnishings
  • Commercial Kitchen Equipment
  • Geothermal + Limited Snowmelt

Future Implementation

The goal of rebuilding the Senior Center will require planning for various project elements, some of which may be implemented at a later time due to funding constraints. Fortunately, initial planning has identified cost savings for certain elements, providing some relief in the budget.

  • Barlow Street Sidewalk
  • Provide Asphalt Shingles in lieu of Metal Standing Seam Roof
  • Pervious Pavers

Designs

Programmng Possibilities

With the new Senior Center there is an increased capacity for indoor and outdoor programming. The larger room sizes enable programming classes to be larger and offered more frequently.

  • Increased access of hot lunches provided by Meals on Wheels 
  • Multipurpose rooms for new expanded wellness programs and exercise 
  • Meeting spaces for skills learning, education and social gatherings

   

   

Sustainability

The project is meeting a number of goals and objectives that have been prioritized by the City. Specific features will provide a more sustainable future for all by contributing to the improvement to individual and public health, increasing more active lifestyles, cleaner air, improved water and soil quality, and less reliance on fossil fuels.

Decreased Fossil Fuel Reliance

The project goal is to implement building electrification and shift the movement away from fossil fuels, such as gas, and toward clean electricity.  

Improving Stormwater Management

Due to the current aging infrastructure, the project will improve stormwater management due to the use of pervious pavers, green roofs, and an improved stormwater infiltration system and collection system.

Efficiency

Energy efficient elements such as low flow flushing toilets that use less water, lighting, and windows will be incorporated.

Funding

 The total cost for all elements of the project is $10,035,499. Currently, approximately $8,100,000 of available funds have been identified, which include a commitment of City of Traverse City funds in the amount of $500,000 and a $7,000,000 allocation from the State of Michigan.

Total Estimated Project Costs

$10,035,499

  • State of Michigan: $7,000,000
  • City ARPA Funds
  • Grand Traverse County: $800,000
  • City Funds
  • Private Donations