National Church Residences Hold Grand Opening For Baptist Gardens, 100-Unit Senior Housing Center

National Church Residences is holding a grand opening for Baptist Gardens, an affordable senior housing community located at 1881 Myrtle Drive, Atlanta, Ga., 30311 at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 10.  Residents have begun moving into the 100-unit facility, located adjacent to National Church Residences’ Baptist Towers in southwestern Atlanta.

The $8.56 million project was built using Low-Income Housing Tax Credit financing. The four-story building with elevator service has 100 one-bedroom apartments for seniors ages 55 and older. It includes spacious kitchens with appliances including dishwashers and microwaves, central air conditioning, controlled access with a security gate and intercom system, and emergency pull cords.

The grand opening celebration will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 10, at Baptist Gardens. Speakers will include:

• Keisha Lance Bottoms, Atlanta City Councilmember, District 11
• Laurel Hart, director of Affordable Housing, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
• Alan Patricio, president, ABP Associates
• Bill Foley, president, Foley Design Associates Architects
• Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley, recently retired pastor, Providence Missionary Baptist Church
• Steve Rish, president, National Church Residences Board of Directors
• Eric Borders, member, National Church Residences Atlanta Advisory Board
• Tom Slemmer, president & CEO, National Church Residences

The building, designed for energy efficiency and built by NorSouth Constructs, has been certified as "gold" by the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) program, developed by the U.S. Green Building Agency Council.

The community, which has a security gate and other features, also has a courtyard and walking trail through wooded areas and gardens. It has a library, computer center, a 1,500-square-foot community center with a kitchen and an on-site laundry. Residents benefit from a service coordination program that helps them obtain services from outside agencies and assistance with a variety of tasks, including paying bills, arranging for transportation and working with health care providers.

“Baptist Gardens is part of National Church Residences’ growing presence in Atlanta. We’re so pleased to open this beautiful facility in this section of the city, expanding the number of affordable senior housing apartments in the area,” Slemmer said.

In Atlanta, National Church Residences also has affordable senior housing at Lakewood Christina Manor, Trinity Towers and Baptist Towers. Construction of another affordable senior housing community is underway at Betmar Village.  Work also is proceeding at the Imperial Hotel, where National Church Residences is partnering with Columbia Residential to create a permanent supportive housing community for the formerly homeless.