Renovation slated for completion late this year

By Dave Fidlin | Contributor

Patty Connell readily admits she was not enthusiastic when the news first broke.

Connell, 74, is among 120 seniors displaced as Westminster Manor, a 16-story high-rise apartment building at 1730 Third Ave., Downtown, undergoes an extensive renovation.

But Connell and many of the other seniors living in the 43-year-old complex soon discovered a silver lining. As they await an opportunity to return to fully refurbished living quarters, they are taking up temporary residence at one of two Downtown hotels: the Residence Inn San Diego Downtown/Gaslamp Quarter and the Lafayette Hotel.

“I’m like a different person,” said Connell, who has been living at the Residence Inn the past few months. “This is a different transition than I imagined. They’re doing a great job here [at the hotel]. They cannot do enough for us.”

The complete overhaul of Westminster Manor is slated to wrap in September and comes as a new owner enters the scene. Carlsbad-based Chelsea Investment Corporation purchased the property in December for $28.65 million.

Since the transaction was closed, Chelsea’s owners are working with the property’s former owners and operators, Westminster Manor of San Diego Inc., to refinance and redevelop the building, which is tailored to serve low-income seniors, age 55 and up.

“This iconic building fits into our mission to provide housing solutions for people in search of a quality place to live at affordable rates,” Jim Schmid, Chelsea’s founder and CEO, stated in a press release. “By working with civic leaders and community organizations, we are able to help residents meet their needs.”

Westminster Manor, which features 152 studio and one-bedroom units, is being renovated internally and externally. All told, the work carries an estimated $12.5 million price tag.

Since Westminster Manor has a subsidized housing component, several pieces of the puzzle had to come together before the renovation work took place.

Financing for the renovations came from a variety of sources, including Union Bank as a construction and permanent lender and The Richman Group as a tax credit investor. The San Diego Housing Commission also had a role in the planning phase because tax-exempt bonds were issued.

Before the renovations began, the San Diego City Council formally signed off on the bond awards.

Kathy Breedlove, a project manager with Chelsea, is overseeing the renovation. Breedlove said talks of sprucing up the complex have been in the works the last couple of years.

“The previous owners were looking at a way to first get a development partner on board,” she said. “We’ve been working very diligently on the project ever since then.”

Breedlove said the work is being undertaken in phases. The initial portion of the project was completed in late February and entailed abating the complex of any asbestos, in addition to upgrading fire sprinklers, fire alarms and other important infrastructure.

The second phase, currently underway, will focus on a specific section of the apartment complex. Breedlove said plans are in motion to begin moving residents back into Westminster Manor in a phased approach, starting in early- to mid-May and through the end of the year.

“It’s been a challenging project, but I’ve enjoyed being part of it, personally,” Breedlove said. “I think we have a great team working on this, and we’ve developed quite a level of trust with the residents.”

When Westminster’s occupants do return to their apartment units, they will be greeted to a number of changes, including new kitchens, energy-efficient appliances and wall heaters, as well as new flooring, paint, window coverings and bathrooms.

While Connell and other Westminster Manor residents are eager to see their new apartments, they also are savoring the experiences within their interim living quarters.

“[The hotel staff] know us by name when we walk in,” Connell said. “One of the gals at the front desk told me I’m her adopted grandma — that’s how special they are to us.

“We’ve discovered a whole new world around here,” she said.

—Dave Fidlin can be contacted at [email protected]