North Hollywood, Calif., January 14, 2011 – The NoHo Arts District will expand its creative venues and talent pool on Thursday, January 20, when The Road Theatre Company breaks ground in concert with NoHo Senior Artists Colony, an independent senior housing community. Los Angeles officials plan to celebrate the mid-morning ground breaking event with featured performers, some who are older adult actors, musicians and visual artists, in a carnival-inspired program. Festivities will include remarks from city leaders, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Meta Housing Corporation, the project's developer.
Located at 10747 Magnolia Boulevard in North Hollywood, the $42-million age-restricted independent living apartment community will offer 126 one-and two-bedroom units for renters 62 and older. Eighty percent of the independent senior housing units will be market rate, while the remaining twenty percent will be affordable. The 76-seat Road on Riverton (ROR) theatre, located within the community, will provide a new and important arts and cultural asset along Magnolia Boulevard serving the public and NoHo Senior Arts Colony residents.
ROR and Senior Artists Colony are located near the City of Burbank/North Hollywood gateway to the NoHo Arts District, which is within the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA's) North Hollywood Project Area. Meta Housing, who sponsored the project in collaboration with CRA/LA, has a proven track record in pioneering developments that combine life-long learning programs with housing for seniors.
To further their mission, Meta Housing has collaborated with EngAGE on programming its arts-related programming at other communities, including Burbank Senior Artists Colony, and is anticipated to continue an active role in operating this particular development. EngAGE provides resident programs onsite that emphasize creative and healthy aging with arts, wellness, lifelong learning, community building and intergenerational programs for seniors. Complementing the housing community's amenities, which include a pool, spa and clubroom, are unique artistic venues - art studios, classrooms, gallery/exhibit space, computer media and digital video/film labs, and a radio recording studio and editing room.
"We are excited about the launch of our latest Senior Arts Program in North Hollywood," said John M. Huskey, President of Meta Housing. "We appreciate the effort and vision of our strategic partners and know we'll re-energize senior lives and contribute to the NoHo Arts Community in this break-through project. We won't be surprised if another star is born from one of our talented future residents."
Senior Artists Colony at NoHo is anticipated to open in 2012 and will be managed by Legacy Partners Residential. For more information, contact Jody Webber, Business Manager at (818) 955-9391.
ABOUT META HOUSING CORPORATION
Meta Housing is a well-known and highly respected developer of affordable and market rate communities in the state. Based in Southern California since 1969, they have developed more than 10,000 single and multifamily residential units, including a similar independent living, senior artists community in Burbank that has been operating successfully since 2005. For information, visit www.metahousing.com.
ABOUT THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY
Celebrating 20 years, The Road Theatre Company is committed to community service and educational outreach. A non-profit corporation that produces theatre under the Actors' Equity Association 99-Seat Plan, they are located in the heart of the NoHo Arts District. Most recently, the company was selected to serve as the resident theatre company of "The Road on Riverton", a new state-of-the-art 76-venue being developed by Meta Housing Corporation. The theatre will serve as a second stage, enabling the company to further expand its programming, reach a wider audience and prove a respectful and nurturing environment in which artists can engage with their work. For information, visit www.roadtheatre.org.
ABOUT EngAGE
EngAGE is a non-profit that takes a whole-person approach to creative and healthy aging by providing arts, wellness, lifelong learning, community building and intergenerational programs to thousands of seniors living in affordable senior apartment communities in Southern California. EngAGE was founded in 1999 as More Than Shelter For Seniors and is an organization hired by the owners of affordable senior apartment communities to deliver a unique program that truly engages people and provides them with a sense of self-awareness, value and community. For information, visit www.engagedaging.org.
ABOUT LEGACY PARTNERS
Based in Foster City, Calif., Legacy Partners has been an industry leader in residential and commercial real estate for 40 years; acquiring, developing and managing a portfolio valued in excess of $7 billion. The company's expertise spans the industry spectrum to include property acquisition, development, financing, marketing, and property and asset management. For information, visit www.legacypartners.com.