David Savu, a volunteer for the Greater Ishpeming Commission on Aging, answers questions on Tuesday about a lease with G.A. Haan Development for space on the first floor of the Phelps Square complex on Third Street. The commission unanimously approved the lease and will begin moving from the condemned structure on Pine Street to the new facility on Nov. 6. (Journal photo by Lisa Bowers)

ISHPEMING — A temporary home has been found for the Ishpeming Senior Center. The Greater Ishpeming Area Commission on Aging advisory board unanimously approved an 18-month lease for a portion of the ground floor of Phelps Square on Tuesday.

The organization will pay $1,200 per month to lease the space in the former C.L. Phelps Middle School along Third Street from G.A. Haan Development beginning Friday, said David Savu, commission volunteer and former Ishpeming city attorney.

Savu said he and Elyse Bertucci, Ishpeming Senior Center director, have gone over the lease “with a fine-tooth comb.”

“I feel it’s fair, I feel it’s reasonable and it gives the center all the protections it can get given the circumstances (and) the time constraints,” Savu said. “Mr. (Ben) Ide (G.A. Haan, director of development) was very reasonable in dealing with us in a lot of the nuts and bolts that are in the lease. He was very accommodating and made life a lot easier for Elyse and me.”

Bertucci said she does not expect to begin moving into the facility until Nov. 6, and even then renovations will be necessary to provide office and community space as well as a kitchen with residential appliances for senior events.

Getting the space ready could be challenging and expensive because much of the electrical, phone and internet infrastructure will need to be upgraded, she said. Some rooms have no electrical outlets at all, she noted.

“I am getting nervous about how much this is costing us, so I am working to keep costs as low as possible,” she said. “The initial issue will be how we operate once we are there. We won’t have phones, we won’t have internet, and we are going to have to put a lot of what we bring into there in the storage. Client records, center records that we want to make sure are very secure will be placed in the locked storage room until we can get the offices configured.”

Since the existing senior center facility was condemned by the Marquette County Building Codes Department on Oct. 18, center officials have been scrambling to ensure that social work, homemaking and chore services continue to be provided to area senior citizens.

An inspection of the existing facility at 320 S. Pine St. was a requirement of a $2.2 million Community Development Block Grant application that was submitted to the Michigan Economic Development Corp. The funding would go toward constructing a new facility at 121 Greenwood St.

The city owns the senior center structure along Pine Street and was leasing it to the commission for $1 per year. If the state grant is awarded, the new facility will also be owned by the city. However, the city is not a party to the Phelps Square lease agreement.

Ishpeming City Councilor Pat Scanlon, who is the council liaison to the commission, said the council has pledged its support for the senior center and all the services it provides.

During a special meeting Monday, Scanlon said, the council approved up to $1,900 in moving expenses to help with the transition to the new building, and committed to other measures that will make the building as accessible as possible to area seniors.

“We talked to our DPW (Department of Public Works) and we are going to mark the streets as best fit for you guys; we are going to put handicap spots on the south side,” Scanlon said. “We are going to be able to put a Marq-Tran spot, handicap parking spots and some restricted parking during the day so you get your needs met. We’ll keep the sidewalks open with our sidewalk plows and the streets open wider and cut for parking.”

Due to complications in moving or forwarding the existing phone service, the commission is using a temporary phone number, 906-204-0419, which can be used to contact the center during normal business hours. The center can also be contacted via email at IMPSC@gicoaseniors.org, Bertucci said. Updates will also be posted on the Ishpeming Multi-Purpose Senior Center Facebook page.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242.