Assisted-living facility gains approvals
Once a couple matters of red tape are cleared up, assisted living would be built on North Burkhart in Howell
A new assisted-living residential development is closer to coming to fruition in Howell Township. If a couple matters of red tape are cleared up, construction could begin as soon as this year.
Construction of Quality Care of Howell, as it is tentatively named, would begin with 20 or 21 assisted-living units in a facility that would feature a dining area, salon, library, physical therapy and other common areas. Future plans include building another 60 or so assisted-living units and 11 duplex-style independent-living residences with up to 22 units geared toward seniors.
A proposal to build the residences on a piece of township-owned property on North Burkhart Road north of the Livingston County Spencer J. Hardy Airport is closer to completion.
The Howell Township Board of Trustees approved a special land-use permit Monday.
Township Clerk Carolyn Eaton said that “they are moving forward, and we are happy to have them here. It has been good to work with them."
The board also passed a resolution making Eaton an approved signer on the sale of the township-owned property when it is ready to close.
Before the sale could be final, an issue with the title to the land needed to be worked out.
“The state had the wrong legal description for the property. That needed to be straightened out, and it has with the assessor,” Eaton said, adding that the township has filed for clear title with the court.
She said they are working on contacting previous property owners, which is needed to finish clearing up the title.
At a previous meeting, the township’s Planning Commission granted the project preliminary site-plan approval. Final site plans are expected soon, which the commission will review and is expected to approve.
In a previous interview, father and son Paul and Nidhal Ghraib, who are developing the senior living facility, emphasized that it would be "affordable" rather than high-end, which could make living there more accessible to more seniors in the community who are not able to pay thousands of dollars a month for some assisted-living facilities.
The plan is to employ nurses but not an in-house doctor. However, Nidhal Ghraib said there might a room where doctors can make house calls.
“I think this will be a good asset. They are smaller than a lot of them,” which is “the type of place I think I would rather be living, personally. I don’t have $5,000 a month,” which some assisted-living facilities could cost, Eaton said.
Contact Livingston Daily county and townships reporter Jennifer Eberbach at 517-548-7148 or at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTheWriter.