The Seneca Cayuga ARC has some new digs. And these digs are almost 10 years in the making.
Jill Connor / The CitizenCalvin Walker, a consumer at the new Seneca Cayuga ARC building in Aurelius, is applauded by the people who helped throughout the planning and construction process following the ribbon cutting, performed by Walker, at the open house Wednesday. The people behind him from the left are Assemblyman Gary Finch; Assemblyman Brian Kolb; Sen. Mike Nozzolio; Peter Koon; Kevin Smith, the executive director of the board of directors of Seneca-Cayuga ARC; an unidentified woman who assisted Walker; Edward Ide Jr., Aurelius town supervisor; Glen Everdyke, representing the New York Developmental Disabilities Service Office; Majed El Rayess the architect, and Frank Nicoletta Sr., the contractor.
The local non-profit agency opened a brand new building last month, and it has officially moved in. The ARC held an open house Wednesday afternoon where members of the public were able to view the new location, which is housed at 1521 Clark St. Road in Aurelius.
The approximately 15,600 square-foot building will be the new home base for many of the organization's operations. A number of administrative offices have been relocated to the facility, and all staff and volunteer training is now held there.
Community program staff members will also base their operations from the campus, though most of their work is done around the community, according to ARC Executive Director Kevin Smith.
Smith said the new campus is the culmination of a multi-year plan that formed in 1999. At the time, ARC organizations in Seneca and Cayuga counties merged and officials decided on a number of priorities, Smith said.
Among them were reconfiguring the agency's services in Cayuga County, establishing 10 new homes and forming six new day habilitation programs.
Until now, the staff members in the building were scattered in locations around the county, including various churches and the YMCA building in Auburn.
The final step of the plan, Smith said, was to have a nice facility in a visible community location.
“We always put the people with disabilities first,” Smith said. “I think we can justify this project now.”
The Seneca Cayuga ARC is a multi-faceted agency that is dedicated to serving members of the disabled community and their families in the two counties. The organization serves approximately 1,300 consumers through respite, home care, social development and other programs.
The group also hosts numerous day habilitation programs, at which mentally and emotional disabled adults learn social skills and receive daytime care.
The new building has a day habilitation program that serves 24 consumers. The program was relocated from a facility on Hoffman Street.
The new spot is a major improvement, said Kathi Alfieri, the program's coordinator. The new rooms are brighter and more uplifting for the people in the program, she said.
“This is just great. We even have a full kitchen where we can cook and bake, and smell the smells,” said Alfieri, who has been with the ARC for 18 years. “It is just a whole new world.”
Alfieri said that her clients' caretakers have even noticed that the new center gives them positive vibes even after they leave for the day.
“It affects their whole lives,” she said. “It's beautiful. We're loving it.”
Maria Hastings, associated director for administrative support for the ARC and project manager for the new building, said space has been a primary issue for many of the employees and volunteers over the years.
Having a campus that offers plenty of space was a priority, she said. And the new space also shows off the personality of the organization.
Lining the walls of the building are dozens of inspiring photographs of ARC clients and associates. And in the next few months, original artwork by the agency's consumers will also be on display, Hastings said.
“This place really captures the essence of who we are and who we serve,” she said.
For Smith, that is one of the best aspects of the new location. One of the organization's main goals is to improve the general public's views and opinions on the community's disabled population, he said.
“We want this place to show that people with disabilities have the ability to be productive parts of the community.” Smith said.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net
The approximately 15,600 square-foot building will be the new home base for many of the organization's operations. A number of administrative offices have been relocated to the facility, and all staff and volunteer training is now held there.
Community program staff members will also base their operations from the campus, though most of their work is done around the community, according to ARC Executive Director Kevin Smith.
Smith said the new campus is the culmination of a multi-year plan that formed in 1999. At the time, ARC organizations in Seneca and Cayuga counties merged and officials decided on a number of priorities, Smith said.
Among them were reconfiguring the agency's services in Cayuga County, establishing 10 new homes and forming six new day habilitation programs.
Until now, the staff members in the building were scattered in locations around the county, including various churches and the YMCA building in Auburn.
The final step of the plan, Smith said, was to have a nice facility in a visible community location.
“We always put the people with disabilities first,” Smith said. “I think we can justify this project now.”
The Seneca Cayuga ARC is a multi-faceted agency that is dedicated to serving members of the disabled community and their families in the two counties. The organization serves approximately 1,300 consumers through respite, home care, social development and other programs.
The group also hosts numerous day habilitation programs, at which mentally and emotional disabled adults learn social skills and receive daytime care.
The new building has a day habilitation program that serves 24 consumers. The program was relocated from a facility on Hoffman Street.
The new spot is a major improvement, said Kathi Alfieri, the program's coordinator. The new rooms are brighter and more uplifting for the people in the program, she said.
“This is just great. We even have a full kitchen where we can cook and bake, and smell the smells,” said Alfieri, who has been with the ARC for 18 years. “It is just a whole new world.”
Alfieri said that her clients' caretakers have even noticed that the new center gives them positive vibes even after they leave for the day.
“It affects their whole lives,” she said. “It's beautiful. We're loving it.”
Maria Hastings, associated director for administrative support for the ARC and project manager for the new building, said space has been a primary issue for many of the employees and volunteers over the years.
Having a campus that offers plenty of space was a priority, she said. And the new space also shows off the personality of the organization.
Lining the walls of the building are dozens of inspiring photographs of ARC clients and associates. And in the next few months, original artwork by the agency's consumers will also be on display, Hastings said.
“This place really captures the essence of who we are and who we serve,” she said.
For Smith, that is one of the best aspects of the new location. One of the organization's main goals is to improve the general public's views and opinions on the community's disabled population, he said.
“We want this place to show that people with disabilities have the ability to be productive parts of the community.” Smith said.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net
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