Mayor Holds First Visit in New Senior Center

Image: Senior Center member "Miss Hattie" Allen sings an inspirational song.

Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs deferred her November visit to the Senior Center from the Nov. 3 Election Day to this Tuesday. On Nov. 3, Robinson-Briggs won re-election for another four-year term.

Entering the meeting at the new Senior Center Tuesday, Robinson-Briggs exclaimed, "Yayy!" as is her custom.

Here is Senior Center member Gloria Spence singing a revised gospel song. Spence has modified lyrics to document the long passage to having a new senior center.

The mayor called for a moment of silence for those who have passed, including the father of athlete Jayson Williams, who once promised to build a senior center here.

The former leased space at 305 East Front Street has been vacated. The new opening at 400 East Front Street fulfills a promise from 2007 for a brand new city-owned senior center. The status of sales of the 63 condos on the top three floors is not known.

One glitch that became apparent in the transition is related to parking. The developer must amend a parking plan that was accepted conditionally two years ago and must appear before the Planning Board with a revised plan, according to officials. Meanwhile, seniors must park behind 305 East Front Street and make their way on foot or by senior bus to the new facility.

The original approval allowed for only 1.5 parking spaces for each 2-bedroom apartment, anticipating shifting needs between condo owners and other users of the parking spaces.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) there will be a Veterans' Day celebration at the new site, starting with a 10:30 a.m. parade from Roosevelt Avenue and East Front Street to the new center. Attendees are advised to be on time for the 11 a.m. ceremonies and should park behind the old senior center at 305 East Front Street and walk to 400 East Front Street.

--Bernice Paglia