Grandparents who are raising their grandchildren - often because the parents are in prison, have drug addictions or other problems - would have apartments designed especially for their needs through a development proposed for Milwaukee's north side.
The $10 million project, Villard Square, would create 47 apartments in the 3400 block of W. Villard Ave. It would be among a small but growing group of U.S. apartment developments that combine senior housing with kid-friendly features. The idea is to put children from broken homes into a stable environment, said Chris Laurent, of the development firm Gorman & Co.
Oregon, Wis.-based Gorman, which has built several apartment complexes in the Milwaukee area, and Northwest Side Community Development Corp., a neighborhood nonprofit group, would develop Villard Square.
It would be the first Milwaukee apartment building specifically marketed to grandparents who are the main caretakers for their grandchildren, said Laurent, Gorman's Wisconsin market president. Similar apartments have been built in Chicago, Boston, New York and other cities.
There's a strong demand for such housing in Milwaukee, Laurent said. According to the 2000 census, there were 7,052 grandparents in Milwaukee who were responsible for their grandchildren.
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Great! Building playgrounds at senior apartment complexes.
That fixes everything.
Posted by: Fred Keller | February 09, 2009 at 03:38 PM
Can't "fix everything." CAN take steps in the right direction given the reality we face.
Posted by: John Michlig | February 09, 2009 at 04:49 PM