Senior apartment complex has a few units left

Crossroads Senior Apartment Homes in Seymour recently hosted a ribbon cutting and open house.

Thrive Alliance and Jonesboro Investments Corp. developed the 64-unit apartment complex on just more than 2 acres at 500 S. Poplar St. south of the Schneck Medical Center campus.

Indianapolis-based TWG Development constructed the apartment building located on the northeast corner of the property bordered by Poplar, Laurel, Pine and Oak streets.

Mark Lindenlaub, executive director of Thrive Alliance, gave the welcome.

“It’s always a complicated process to put together a project like this, even more so in the middle of a worldwide pandemic,” he said. “We’ve had a really great team of people put this property and this project together.”

He said the units are for those ages 55 and up, and the building is almost 100% occupied.

“We are a $12.5 million investment in the city of Seymour, which has economic ripple effect, from construction workers to full-time maintenance to management positions here and other business that get supported when an activity like this goes on,” he said.

The property once served as the location of Seymour Woolen Mill and later was purchased by Harrison Corp. and became the site of Seymour Electronics, then sat vacant for years while undergoing environmental cleanup.

“We’re proud to have taken what was once an eyesore and turning it into something that’s a great asset to the city, and Crossroads is housing plus services for the residents who live here,” Lindenlaub said. “What we want Crossroads to be and what we think we’ve created is both a landing pad and a launch pad for the residents.”

He said Crossroads is not an escape from the community. It’s a part of the community and a place where people can live their best lives, which means being connected with the community, engaging in community events and being contributing members to the community.

“We’ve partnered with a lot of key people in the community and have done a lot of work to stand up the physical space at the apartment complex,” Lindenlaub said. “The next task will be to stand up the programming and activities here, and that’s really going to make this place alive.”

Lindenlaub said they already have some connections and services between Schneck and the Jackson County Public Library that are connecting with residents.

“The rent here ranges from as high as $738 for a two-bedroom apartment down to as low as $260 per month, but we couldn’t have a project like this without a dedicated team of people working to make it happen,” Lindenlaub said. “I want to especially note the leadership of the elected officials from Seymour, the city council in particular, the mayor’s office and a number of community departments, including planning and zoning.”

Mayor Matt Nicholson said he was on the city council in 2017 when the idea of the senior apartments was first presented.

“Here we are six or seven months into leasing and you’re almost at 100%, which is pretty impressive,” Nicholson said. “The great part about that is it also shows the need for what you do here, so a huge thank you for you guys partnering with us.”

Nicholson said the Crossroads partnership with Schneck, the exam room, being able to pick people up at the front door and all of those different pieces are huge for this demographic in general.

“It’s a chance for them to be here and be at home and at the same time be connected, whether it’s walking across the street to get dinner or walking downtown and enjoying that area,” he said. “That’s a huge piece, getting everybody that’s here to be engaged and get connected with the community and keep them involved. That’s better for all of them.”

Lauren Houck, director of marketing and communications for the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, stood in for Jacob Sipe, executive director of IHCDA, at the ribbon cutting.

“I want to thank Mark and your great leadership, and we could not do what we do at IDCDA without you and other leaders like you throughout the state,” Houck said. “I also want to thank Mayor Nicholson, the chamber and all of the city and local support.”

Kevin Johnson, director of housing for Thrive Alliance, said only 13 units remain out of the 64 apartment units.

He said he was happy a local home extension club recently used the commons area of the building to hold a meeting because they don’t have that area there to just sit and be pretty. They want it to be used.

“The building also has a computer library with both books and computers, and we’re looking forward to finding volunteers who would like to come in and do some computer training with the residents,” Johnson said. “They might want to know how to print something or how to send pictures to their kids, so we’re going to try to connect with the library to see if they have somebody who might like to come over and get the wheels turning.”

Crossroads resident Larry Robinson said he moved out of his house because he has heart problems and could no longer mow his grass, and he likes living in the apartment building.

“It works out good for me, and my room is right down from the terrace. Plus, there’s a laundry room on every floor,” he said. “I rented the place about two months before I moved in because I had my house for sale, but that gave me extra time to move things in little by little, room by room, and now, I have a two-bedroom unit and a nice walk-in closet and lots of storage space.”

For information about Crossroads Senior Apartment Homes, visit crossroadssenior.com or call 812-271-4478.