Costa Mesa Senior Center celebrates remodel

City officials and more than 200 seniors celebrated the reopening of the Costa Mesa Senior Center on Friday morning after a two-month rehabilitation project.

The center on West 19th Street closed in November to undergo about $200,000 in renovations. It reopened earlier this month.

The first phase of work included new paint throughout the building, new rugs, refinished woodwork, renovated restrooms and new countertops. The front desk was redesigned to be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Additional work is planned, including fixing water leaks and replacing windows and flooring, said city Public Services Director Ernesto Munoz.

The free celebration took place in the center’s ballroom, where seniors came dressed in Christmas red, including Santa hats. Many received free coffee mugs bearing the words “Costa Mesa Proud Senior.” The mugs contained gift cards and candies.

In his remarks, Mayor Steve Mensinger thanked Ernie Feeney and Kathleen Eric, senior center advocates who served on its board of directors when it was run by a separate nonprofit foundation.

Though the senior center has always been owned by the city, earlier this year the council directed a takeover of operations at the 20,000-square-foot facility — which had been on the brink of financial insolvency. The council is also working on establishing a new commission that will advise it on senior center matters.

The renovation was widely praised by attendees, who commented during the morning celebration that the place was full of smiles and helpful staff once again.

“It’s wonderful,” Feeney said of the facility’s changes. “I’ve waited five and a half years to see this.”

Mensinger noted that the center has 1,101 new members.

“We want to make this a first-class, best senior center in Orange County,” he said. “That’s my commitment as the mayor.”

Councilwoman Sandy Genis recalled the center’s opening in 1992, during her first term on council.

In her remarks Friday, she reiterated her hopes for the facility.

“My prayer was that it would be a place where we could recall old memories with old friends, make new memories with new friends and that everyone would be welcome,” Genis said. “That’s still my prayer for the senior center.”