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Century Plaza Elderly Housing
Washington County, Pennsylvania

Design features and landscaping have helped transform Century Plaza from a dilapidated motel into an appealing residential setting.

In late 1992, the Washington County (Pennsylvania) Redevelopment Authority used Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to acquire the Century Plaza Motel from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Although the structure was badly deteriorated, the four-acre site was well located near shopping facilities and major roads. The authority determined that, through major renovation, attractive units for low-income elderly residents could be created from the former motel, and formed a partnership to obtain financing for and develop the project.

The authority joined with the Nonprofit Housing Corporation of Washington County, with whom it had previously developed elderly housing, to develop the project. The partnership obtained an allocation of low-income housing tax credits from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, then sold the credits to four local financial institutions. The county provided loans of more than $1.337 million in fiscal year 1992 HOME funds and more than $2 million in CDBG funds, approximately $714,000 of which was used to purchase the property.

Construction began in mid-1993, transforming the former 100-unit motel, built in 1967, into 63 one-bedroom and 2 efficiency units. Two two-story wings house most of the new residential units, and a one-story wing--which previously housed the motel's restaurant, kitchen, and office space--now accommodates public spaces and some individual units.

Most of the one-bedroom units were created by combining two former motel rooms: one room was retained for the bedroom and bathroom, and the other was used to create a kitchen and living/dining room. Four units are completely wheelchair accessible.

The project's common spaces include a covered entrance, skylit lobby, community room with kitchen, TV room, and card room. The entire facility is handicapped accessible. Several energy improvements, including new insulation and windows, were made, and mechanical systems were replaced.

The exterior design features gables, pitched roofs, bay windows, covered stoops, and semiprivate yards enclosed with iron fences. Materials include brick, stucco, vinyl siding, and double hung windows. These design features vary the appearance of the units and divide the former motel wings into more residentially scaled components.

The site was extensively landscaped, with paved walkways and a patio and gazebo outside the community room. The landscaping and exterior design form a buffer between the high-density commercial strip and a residential area adjacent to Century Plaza.

In accordance with both HOME program and low-income housing tax credit requirements, 80 percent (52) of the units are available to elderly families whose incomes do not exceed 60 percent of the area median. The remaining 20 percent (13) are reserved for elderly families whose incomes do not exceed 50 percent of the median. These restrictions apply for 30 years.

The growing need for affordable housing for low-income elderly residents has long been recognized in Washington County; it has been documented in the Housing Assistance Plan, the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy and, most recently, in the Consolidated Plan for the county. Indeed, following the completion of Century Plaza in September 1994, the redevelopment authority and many of the same partners undertook a second project to further meet this need.

In developing Century Plaza, the redevelopment authority and its local, state, nonprofit, and private partners created a win-win situation. Through a team effort, a previously blighted structure was attractively redeveloped and placed back on the tax rolls, and, most important, a variety of resources were effectively used to create much-needed, high-quality, affordable units for low-income elderly residents.

Contact: Richard C. Galway, Director of Housing, Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington, 412/228-6875

Copyright 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000
Affordable Housing and HOME
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)
630 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3736
Telephone: (202) 289-3500
Fax: (202) 289-4949