Archive: Around Town

Woodsedge Apartments residents joined the Lansing Housing Authority (LHA) and CRM Rental Management for a special birthday celebration Saturday that marked the facility's 30th year in operation.  It also marked the official opening of a new full-sized elevator on the property.  After a ribbon cutting long-time residents joined LHA (Lansing Housing Authority) Chairman George Gesslein on the ceremonial first ride to the second floor.  CRM Rental Management's Davis Yohe says the elevator is only the latest example of how the community supports the elder housing facility.

"The commitment and attention that the Lansing Housing Authority board pays to the property and the quality of life for the residents is truly outstanding," says CRM Rental Management's Davis Yohe.  "That's the same thing that CRM wants, so it's a good team.  In carrying out CRM's role of managing the day to day operations and maintaining the building with the commitment of the Lansing Housing Authority Board has made for a very successful property.  It's a property that USDA Rural Development tells us is one of the best of its properties in upstate New York."



All 42 residents, the LHA and CRM had much to celebrate - with significant donations from the Lansing Lions Club and community members almost $8,000 was raised to cover costs not included in a subsidized loan that made the project possible.  LHA Vice-Chairman David Stoyell commended the community for continually supporting the facility for 30 years.


"For these 30-plus years residents have made this a home," he said.  It is a beautiful wooded property with views and gardens -- and a community.  A community that is embraced by the wider community including activities sponsored by LOAP (Lansing Older Adults Program) and youth from area churches and elsewhere playing board games with residents in the evening in the community room."                

While donations are still welcome, Gesslein says LHA has raised enough to cover the cost of the project.

"We're all set with that," he says.  "What we didn't use for the ancillary cost of the elevator will be used to pay down the debt so tenants won't have to pay so much rent.  All the money is going to be put to good use."

Perseverance has continued to be a theme for Woodsedge.  The $240,000 project included an enclosure for a standard hydraulic elevator, some minor indoor changes and the elevator itself.  Until last week a 34 inches by 44 inches Elevette with a load capacity of only 450 pounds was the only way to get upstairs -- besides the stairs.  The new elevator will hold furniture, but more importantly it will allow emergency responders to fetch upstairs residents in a stretcher.  Until now they would have to strap patients into a chair and carry them down the stairs.

Stoyell singled out Gesslein for continuing the tradition of perseverance to make sure the project progressed from dream to reality.

"We would be terribly remiss in not acknowledging the driving force, George Gesslein, who shepherded the project over the past two years," he told well-wishers.  "He had hundreds of communications with banks, government regulataors, lawyers, architects, and dozens of meetings."

That kind of commitment has not gone unnoticed by town officials.  Each month Councilman Ed LaVigne has updated the Town Board on the elevator project's progress, and the entire council has been supportive of the project.


"I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Lansing Housing Authority for their continued resolve and perseverance for their dedication and completion of the addition of a new full size elevator at Woodsedge," says Lansing Councilman Robert Cree.  "The old adage that good things come to those who wait certainly holds true for the resident's at Woodsedge, and I'm so glad that the members of the Lansing Housing Authority did not stop working on this project until they found an acceptable solution to numerous regulatory road blocks they've been dealing with literally since the original construction of this facility thirty years ago."

Gesslein says he was on the first ride last week once the elevator had been installed and certified safe for use.  Long time resident Harvey Payne was first in line to get on, guiding his electric wheelchair on the ground floor and riding upstairs.


Installing the elevator is only the latest success in the long history of the property that Gesslein says would not have been built if it weren't for the perseverance of the late Bob Baker.  Baker faced may obstacles including Health Department objections to a facility of that size using a septic system and government mortgage providers who objected to the project because there were no stores within easy walking distance.

"Bob got me involved thirty-some years ago," Gesslein recalls.  "They were just preparing the plans for approval and it was kind of hairy.  Bob had to work hard to get this project approved.  We had to go to Washington and twist people's arms.  The Health Department didn't want to do it.  The government didn't want to do it.  It took us three years just to get over all that."

Get over it they did.  In addition to strong community support the LHA and CRM work together effectively to make sure the day to day needs of residents are met as well as keeping an eye on long term goals.

"It's a day to day commitment from the big things to the small things," Yohe says.  "From our staff working with the board and listening to the residents.  The property has had very low turnover rates over the years.  That is certainly a strong indicator that what we're doing is working, so we want to keep doing that."

"I'm very proud of what the Housing Authority has done to get the elevator in," says LHA board member Connie Wilcox.  "It's a safety issue for the residents and it will be a big help to be able to put a stretcher in there where there are ambulance calls and transport them down from upstairs.  I commend the Housing Authority and CRM mManagement for the way they take care of the facility."


Gesslein says that Woodsedge is the right project that is the right size for today.  He notes that we're reaching a time where there will be more seniors than 'juniors' in the world which may mean expanding Woodsedge in the future.  But for now he says there isn't a market in the current location

"We've had a market study done," he says.  "We've had an architectural study done.  We've held focus groups.  We have a location and a basic design, but the people who did the marketing study said there is not a big enough market for this.  People are staying home and aging in place.  Five years from now the market may change."

CRM has managed Woodsedge since it first opened.  Yohe says the elevator will have an impact on the future of Woodsedge, making the facility more attractive to potential renters.  He says CRM is also looking to the future to continue the ongoing success Woodsedge has enjoyed for 30 years.

"We're always looking at ways we can improve it that are financially feasible," he says.  "We'll continue to look at the physical property and keep it modern and energy-efficient and carry those goals forward.  We want to continue what has worked but be mindful that we'll be working in a changing environment.  We'll be on top of those changes."


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