The Whitewood Landing senior citizen housing project, which has been in the works for years in the Village of Massapequa Park, is expected to be completed by the spring, according to developers.

Since the 1970s, senior citizen housing had been discussed as a proposal for the undeveloped land adjacent to the canal on Whitewood Drive. After receiving necessary building approval from the Village of Massapequa Park, Whitewood Landing L.L.C. began construction in September of 2000. This week, Bob Havasy, managing partner of Whitewood Landing, L.L.C., announced that construction is proceeding ahead of schedule, and that prospective residents can anticipate occupancy as early as mid-May. The developer's forecast for occupancy of the various buildings is as follows: Building 2 - May 15, Building 3 - June 1, Building 1 - June 15.

At the request of Village of Massapequa Park Mayor Camillo Giannattasio, Havasy sent a letter to each resident who is in contract to purchase one of the 48 units in the development. The letter informed the residents of the time frame for occupancy, as many are in the process of selling their current homes to purchase an apartment unit.

Despite the cold and snowy weather, construction may be completed even earlier than forecast, Havasy noted, and residents will be updated on the progress of the project. "We think we may pleasantly surprise them, and come in ahead of schedule," he said.

Havasy explained that construction was able to proceed in a timely manner, in the midst of this winter's snowy weather, because crews were able to lay the foundation before the storms. With the foundation set, they were able to work on the building throughout the winter months.

According to Havasy, the retirement community will be composed entirely of village residents. Village regulations regarding the residence give first priority to village residents, second priority to Massapequa School District residents, and third priority to Town of Oyster Bay residents. Most of the units have been spoken for, although a few are still available, Havasy noted.

The developers expect that the senior housing will benefit the local community in several ways. For example, they said, senior residents will no longer have the high costs associated with house repair, maintenance and taxes. "It's a change of lifestyle, basically making it easier for people to spend the next phase of their life," said Havasy. The senior residents will have access to a community center, and a community of their peers who are all looking to socialize together, he added.

While the average value of the homes being sold by prospective residents ranges from $250,000 to $300,000, the average purchasing price of a senior apartment unit is approximately $170,000, according to Havasy. By moving into the community, therefore, seniors are able to free up thousands of dollars in assets contained in their houses, he explained.

"I think most importantly, it keeps the people who built the village, in the village, during the golden years," Havasy added.

Mayor Giannattasio said he is pleased the project is moving along in a timely manner, and that the village is working closely with the developer to ensure a smooth transition for prospective residents who currently have their homes for sale.

"We're delighted. The village has worked very closely with the developer, and we're very pleased that he's moving ahead of schedule," he said. He credited both current and previous village officials, particularly former Mayor George Nussbaum, for helping make the plans come to fruition. "Mayor Nussbaum worked harder than anyone on this," Giannattasio said.

"I think the biggest benefit is that for the first time, we're going to have golden age housing in the village," he added.

Another benefit, noted Giannattasio, is that young families will be able to purchase the houses that are being put on the market. This will bring the village's property tax revenue up, he expects, because many of the current, elderly homeowners receive senior citizen and veterans tax exemptions, while the younger homeowners will not.