By Khalida Sarwari
The Saratoga Senior Center has launched a half-million-dollar renovation campaign in an effort to bring the Allendale Boulevard venue up to 21st century standards.
The idea is to offer the more than 6,000 seniors in Saratoga and the nearly 600 center members a place to engage with one another, take classes or simply enjoy a cup of coffee while reading the paper, said Lisa Huening, president of the Saratoga Area Senior Center board of directors.
The focus of this project will be on the center’s interior functionality, detail, design and decor. Plans include a remodeled reception area, a community kitchenette with hot drinks, a library reading area with cozy chairs, new tables and an updated fireplace, and a cafe with floor-to-ceiling windows. The flooring, lighting and air quality will all be upgraded. Only the adult care center won’t be impacted in some way, according to Huening.
Management also wants to put in a technology center, complete with computers and tablets. Other additions include a new visual projection and sound system compatible with mobile devices.
“We need updating; we need a technology center,” said Huening. “Seniors are aging better; they’re much more tech savvy. We want to be relevant to our community, and a big piece of that is having an inviting place they want to come and spend time with their friends.”
The hope is that the remodeled senior center will offer take-home dinners and social luncheons, an art corner, and yoga and a wellness space. There will be an area for counseling services, tables tennis and game tables, and a furnished garden terrace, as well as an education and resource concierge receptionist.
And it’s not just the center that will be renovated. Management is also hoping to reach out to other demographics–particularly Saratoga’s Indian, South Asian and Persian communities–by upgrading its programs. The goal is to offer additional access to healthcare services, arts and cultural programs, and computer classes.
This is the first renovation for the senior center, Huening said. The common perception is that the center is owned by the city, but in reality the center is operated by a nonprofit and the city only provides the building and annual maintenance.
If all things go well, the renovation is expected to begin this fall and be completed within a few months. During that time, the center is expected to be closed for about six weeks, according to Huening. The closure will be followed by a grand reopening, she said.
The center is planning to reach its fundraising goal by tapping into its support networks and applying for grants. Anyone interested in donating toward this campaign is asked to contact interim executive director Marta Weinstock at 408.868.1255 or mweinstock@sascc.org. Donors will have their name engraved on a leaf as part of a piece of artwork the center is calling the “giving tree.”
