By Karenlyn Barone and Cindy J. Roth
"I've seen a few familiar faces, and it feels great," said Margaret Gubas, who turns 82 next week. "It's good to be back. It's like we're all family. And the apartments look lovely."
Gubas, a nine-year resident of Nathan Hale, was one of more than 150 residents left homeless after the April 22, 2002, fire at the 30 Doxsey Place residence. In the fire's aftermath, the displaced and distraught seniors went to live with relatives or took short-term leases elsewhere.
"I lived here, there and everywhere," said Kathy Sci as she showed off her new apartment on Monday. "I was with family for a while."
Kathy and her husband, Paul, were among the first residents to move back into the senior village late last week. The building is expected to be back to full capacity by September.
"This was a long time coming," said Lynbrook Village Trustee Morrey Forman. "This was a massive rehabilitation. You can't tell from looking, but it was massive."
The building underwent structural rehabilitation to replace a portion of the fourth-floor outer wall and ceiling that was left wide open after the fire. A state-of-the-art sprinkler system, new wiring, an additional parking lot and the distinction of being Section 8 Housing are also all new to the facility.
Robert Becker, president of the Nathan Hale Housing Board, has worked tirelessly overseeing construction and dealing with the aftermath of the fire. He admits that the project has been long and often taxing.
Insurance covered substantial re-building, but additional capital was needed for the sprinkler system, the pumping system and the backup generator. A loan was secured from the New York State Housing Finance Agency for about $7 million. During the load application process, it was determined that the senior population was in need of housing assistance, so it was determined that the facility would become Section 8.
Choices for senior housing are often limited to nursing homes, for those who have significant medical needs, and assisted-living facilities, for those requiring only minimal assistance. Nathan Hale is neither. It is a not-for-profit, independent facility.
"Our facility is for seniors, those 60 and over, who are physically fit and can live independently," said Forman.
Each apartment includes a full kitchen and bath, and residents must be self-sufficient. Being deemed Section 8 will give the residents only financial assistance. The housing authority provision provides for residents to pay no more than 30 percent of their income for the rental. The federal government subsidizes the difference between that amount and the fair market value of the rental.
"Every penny we get is expended on the facility," said Forman. "Being Section 8 is just a new way to serve the people."
Most residents have decided to return to Nathan Hale, though some have passed away and others have chosen new permanent living arrangements. The available 25 units will be offered to seniors already on a Lynbrook Village waiting list.
With all major reconstruction completed, including the installation of firewalls, a new water main to accommodate the new sprinkler system and all-new, updated wiring, contractors are now in the process of attending to the finer details as the facility reopens.
"We are putting the finishing touches on all the apartments at this point," said Becker. "The third and fourth floors are just about completely done, and we are polishing the floors. There has been so much to deal with. I am anxious to finish and welcome our residents home again."
The facility's administrators have gone out of their way to stay connected to the displaced residents, with luncheons and get-togethers this past year.
"It's very emotional," said Forman of residents' moving back into the building. "There have been lots of tears shed in this office. Fifteen months in a senior's life is an eternity. And they haven't been living in one place. It's more than being a neighbor. They have family here. This becomes the glue of their lives."
As she unpacked her car on Monday, Gubas said she couldn't be happier to be back on her own and out of her daughter's house in Babylon. While she has to wait for her cable to be installed on Aug. 15 and for the phone to be hooked up later in the month, one thing she is looking forward to is unpacking her Reebok shoebox -- it's been her temporary medicine cabinet.
