After Crosswinds Apartments opened in May, word about the complex spread slowly among seniors.
But by the end of December, the complex designed and built for seniors was full. And now Manager Marilyn Clapp has a waiting list of about 20.
The apartments at 315 Lash Drive in Salisbury offer two things: amenities and low cost.
The developer, Raleigh-based Crosswinds Partnership Ltd., built the 40-unit, two-story complex using the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit and HOME programs.
In return, the developer agreed to set rents following federal guidelines — half the 20 units cost only $315 a month, including water, sewer, and trash service, and the other 20 cost only $345 a month.
To qualify for an apartment, a person must be 55 or older and meet certain income guidelines. For example, Clapp said a single person can make up to $24,000 a year.
The apartments are also built to be accessible to seniors with disablities or handicaps. The complex doesn’t offer “assisted living services” but serves as an affordable stepping stone for people who are not ready to move into a nursing home.
Clapp said some of her residents moved into their apartments from the next-door Laurels nursing home and rehabilitation center after completing rehabilitation. Many of her tenants still work part-time jobs, she added.
“This is a nice and quiet environment,” Clapp said.
Located just past the Salisbury Mall, in a residential neighborhood away from heavy traffic, Crosswinds offers one-bedroom apartments under one roof with a monitored entry system.
Each apartment has a range and a frost-free refrigerator, wall-to-wall carpeting, “no wax” vinyl flooring, an individual patio or balcony and an energy-efficient heat pump. Apartments are prewired for cable and feature intercom systems and emergency pull cords in bathrooms and bedrooms.
The residents share several facilities:
- Two community rooms, one with a kitchen, that offer space for activities, exercising and meetings.
- Separate sitting and reading areas on each floor. The second-floor area doubles as a craft room and library.
- A gazebo, a walking trail, an elevator, an on-site laundry facility and mailboxes in the front lobby.
Clapp said she hopes to begin regular social and recreational activites soon.
Clapp works for Raleigh-based Excel Property Management, which manages the complex.
“I have been living here since May,” said resident Doris Wolffe, “and I have enjoyed every minute of it. It is much larger, people are friendlier and the environment is much livelier than where I lived before I came here.”
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