Of all the things that an architect can design, senior housing projects don't exactly inspire excitement.
MARGARET CALKINS: It's not sexy.
But, Margaret Calkins says that doesn't mean it can't be. She's an internationally respected expert in designing living spaces for seniors and this weekend she's one of the judges of a design competition that aims to break the institutional mold of such housing.
MARGARET CALKINS: There was a mindset that if it was HUD housing, the requirements were so strict that you can't do anything creative. Part of our goal in this project is to say that you can have affordable housing that looks aesthetically pleasing and is supportive of the needs of the people who live there.
The contest is being sponsored by the East Cleveland-based McGregor Foundation, which has focused on Northeast Ohio elder issues for over 130 years. President Rob Hilton says creating affordable housing for seniors is a growing concern in Cuyahoga County.
ROB HILTON: Basically, we have 8200 units to accommodate a need of at least 21,000 households.
And that number's only going to grow with the graying of the baby boomers. The competing architects will focus on three neighborhoods surrounding Cleveland's University Circle, where the need for affordable housing is particularly acute. Moving the winning designs from blueprints to brick and mortar is a whole different challenge, but Rob Hilton says economic stimulus money is available for low income senior housing, and the McGregor Foundation will work with community leaders to try and shake loose some of those federal funds.
