Lottery Set for Senior Housing at Former School Site

A lottery will be held around July 1 for apartments in a 135-unit senior citizen housing development that the Redondo Beach City Council approved this week for the site of the former Andrews School.

The $5.8-million project is expected to open in July, 1989, said Christopher Skiff, project manager for Calmark Development Corp.

Company and city officials have not decided who will accept the applications for the lottery, but people interested in the project can call 800-233-5788 to be put on Calmark’s mailing list regarding the development. Prospective residents must be at least 62 years old.

Redondo Beach residents cannot legally be given priority for the apartments, but the marketing campaign will be directed at people already living in the city, according to city and company officials.

The 2.5-acre site, on the west side of Aviation Way between Carnegie and Vanderbilt lanes, will have 106 one-bedroom apartments and 29 two-bedroom units in two- and three-story buildings. Twenty-eight of the one-bedroom apartments will be leased to low-income senior citizens with rents subsidized by Calmark.

In the middle of the development will be a pool, spa and 2,600-square-foot recreational building, including a library.

The Redondo Beach City Elementary School District owns the property, but has leased it to the developer for 60 years.

Officials for the city--who want more housing for senior citizens--and for the school district--who have faced declining enrollment in the last 15 years and need more income--have been working on plans regarding surplus school sites for about three years.

It is the second senior citizen housing development the City Council approved this year. In February, the council approved a $14-million senior citizen housing and commercial development at the former McCandless School site on Pacific Coast Highway, between Garnet and Emerald streets.