The effort to build Fresno’s first senior center on Blackstone Avenue just got a $20 million federal loan guarantee.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the grant to the city for the project at the former Vons grocery store site at 4325 N. Blackstone Ave.

Dyer previously estimated the cost to build the facility to be $20 million. The city purchased the site for $6.4 million.

HUD named four projects in total to receive a part of the $75 million fund.

“HUD is proud to partner with cities to boost housing supply, support small business, and enhance neighborhood amenities,” said HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Marion McFadden. “I applaud these jurisdictions for using every resource at their disposal to deploy innovative strategies to invest in their local community development priorities.”

Construction on the center is expected to begin in 2024.

Exciting News! The City of Fresno was awarded $20M in federal funding for the construction of our state-of-the-art Senior Center! This is a transformative step forward for our seniors and the City of Fresno. Construction is expected to begin in 2024. pic.twitter.com/gCc8kLzSeQ

— Council President Tyler Maxwell (@tylermaxwellD4) October 5, 2023

“I am grateful to the Department of Housing and Urban Development for approving the city of Fresno’s $20 million loan request,” said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer. “This funding source brings us one step closer to providing a state-of-the-art activity center to our seniors.”

Dyer added the loan would be repaid with future community development block grant allocations.

Fresno Calling on its Seniors for What They Want out of Center

Dyer said he wanted Fresno’s 63,286 residents age 65 and older to weigh in on what the center would offer. Those details need to come forward before construction begins.

The city is still taking recommendations at this site.