Council to consider $50,000 study to reposition Chet Zablocki Senior Center after anchor tenant moves

Rosalind Clements, director of Housing and Community Development, asked council to authorize spending an existing $50,000 budgeted in 2025 for a community needs assessment and feasibility study related to the Chet Zablocki Senior Center (often referred to in the record as the Zablocki Center). Clements said the center's primary tenant, the Chet Zablocki Senior Center nonprofit supported by the Area Office on Aging, has elected to relocate to the new Wayman Palmer YMCA. That move prompted city staff to seek data to "reposition the existing Chet Zablocki Center," Clements said.

Clements told council that the city is investing more than $1 million in the building for repairs using Section 108 and ARPA funds, including roof and HVAC replacement. "The study is sort of the precursor or the data that we're going to need to define future programming and see how we want to move forward," she said, describing the work as similar to an earlier assessment done for the William and Palmer facility.

Councilmembers welcomed the analysis and emphasized the need for community engagement and clear partner identification. Councilwoman Williams said she had set the item aside as a budget amendment and noted consultants and neighborhood stakeholders were ready. Councilman Driscoll asked whether the city had conducted an RFP process yet; Clements replied the city would post a request for proposals after authorization to spend. Clements said the consultant must provide a community engagement plan as part of the scope.

Ending: The chair recommended the item be advanced (SEP). Staff and council members said they expect a subsequent RFP and community-engagement process that would inform partner selection and programming for the building once the study is complete.