St. James’ Manor in Oneonta is expanding, with four new single-family homes under construction.
Kathy Clarkson, St. James’ executive director, said Tuesday, June 9 that one had already been spoken for.
St. James’ has 36 apartments and eight duplex units. The new homes, likely to be utilized by senior couples, are the facility’s first expansion since its founding in 1998, company representatives said.
“There was some property always down here,” Clarkson said of the land behind the existing facility, visible from the dining room. “It actually belonged to my husband and I,” she said, adding she had long urged the board to acquire some of it.
“I really think we need to acquire at least those 10 acres,” Clarkson said she told the board. “You’re going to get a trailer park on our dining room window.”
The organization purchased 36 acres of the property in 2020, Clarkson said. After years of discussion and planning, the land was cleared and construction began last year. She estimated completion of all the homes would be in summer or fall 2027.
“I’ve been here 26 years,” she said. “I’ve listened to all the people in the duplexes tell me they’d like a bigger front porch, they’d like a bigger garage, they’d like more of a laundry room.”
The new homes will have two bedrooms, one with an ensuite bathroom, a second bathroom, an open concept living room and kitchen, a sunroom, a laundry room, a garage, a covered front porch and a rear patio.
Clarkson said individuals can contact St. James’ for information on pricing. She added that costs are managed through an equity plan with amortization. Residents provide a lump sum, and during the following 8.2 years “St. James takes out a little bit every single month of that equity, and there will be money left over at the end for them to take with them when they leave or leave to their children.”
Residents at St. James’ Manor must be at least 62 years old. Facilities include a dining room, library, recreation room and chapel, according to a company brochure. A service fee includes scheduled local transportation, recreational activities, property maintenance and other items. For those who do not live inside the central building, meals in the dining room are $8. Company representatives said the residents in the home also would be eligible for holiday meals that the facility offers, including a Memorial Day barbecue.
The facility prioritizes independent living, company representatives said.
“Residents have all of the benefits of having their own home and privacy without the responsibilities and worries of home ownership,” according to the company’s website.