Henrico assisted living facility to become affordable housing

Construction started this week on a $23 million project that will create 86 units of affordable housing in eastern Henrico County, Virginia Supportive Housing announced.

Formerly an assisted living facility, Cool Lanes Commons, on the border of Richmond and Henrico, will create 80 one-bedroom apartments and six studio apartments for homeless and low-income people in the Richmond region, according to a news release. Each unit will be more than 500 square feet, and 13 of them will be fully accessible. VSH will offer services on-site to residents. Some of the units will be for individuals who have experienced long or repeated episodes of homelessness and who have a disability that affects their housing stability, according to the organization. The remainder will be for individuals with incomes that are 50% or less of the area’s median income.

The repurposed 100,000-square-foot property will also have office space for VSH and community partners.

“Cool Lane Commons is our first supportive apartment building in Henrico County, an important step in expanding our services to those experiencing homelessness in Henrico. The issues of housing affordability and access affect our city and county communities collectively. Cool Lane Commons is an important regional collaboration in addressing them,” VSH Board Chair  Jason Snook said Wednesday at the facility’s groundbreaking.

The site was first identified as a project for VSH in March 2018. The former Seven Hills Health Care Center has been vacant since 2008.

Development costs will be funded by local, state, federal and private funding. Construction will be completed in fall 2023.