County officials announced yesterday a partnership with a Severna Park nonprofit organization that will provide affordable housing for about 160 elderly people.
Under the arrangement, the county is donating 10 acres near Cypress Creek Road and Ritchie Highway to Woodswise, a nonprofit group formed by Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church. The group will lease the land to a private corporation, which will build and operate the $10 million retirement community.
"Woodswise is acting almost as a trustee for the county," said Ardath Cade, the county's human services officer. The nonprofit group will oversee the operation to ensure that the corporation is maintaining standards.
Preliminary plans call for two Victorian-style buildings with turrets, raised rib metal roofs and wrap-around porches, said William D. Shields, an engineer with Sunrise Retirement Homes, the Fairfax, Va., company that is negotiating with Woodswise to build the project.
The three-story building will include 60 to 65 apartments for people who are able to live independently. A two-story building will have 70 to 75 units for people who need some assistance but do not need 24-hour nursing care.
Woodswise and Sunrise are nearing completion of a lease agreement, said the Rev. Terry Schoemer, the church's pastor. Construction is expected to begin next year. Sunrise is constructing a retirement community on Bestgate Road in Annapolis and runs facilities in Frederick, Towson, Pikesville and Kensington.
Other companies, including Presbyterian Homes of Pennsylvania, have expressed interest if the deal with Sunrise falls through.
The lease payments made to Woodswise will be used to subsidize housing costs for moderate- and low-income people.
County Executive John G. Gary said the arrangement will be a model for other projects.
"In the past, government would have owned, built and managed this project at taxpayers' expense," Mr. Gary said in a statement. "Today, we start a community which offers the compassion of a caring church organization and the management efficiency of the private sector, all without spending a penny of tax dollars."
"It took all three of us to make this happen," Mrs. Cade said of the partnership.
Mr. Schoemer said the project addresses a pressing need in Anne Arundel County for affordable housing for the elderly.
"There is nothing in Severna Park right now of this sort," Mr. Schoemer said. "You keep seeing people who are elderly, who can't take care of their houses anymore that are forced out of the community. People do better if they stay in their community."