Sentara Healthcare will partner on housing project for people with disabilities in Virginia Beach
One of the largest health care providers in the region is stepping up to bring a long-awaited project for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to fruition.
Norfolk-based Sentara Healthcare will provide the funding needed for Vanguard Landing to finally break ground in the southern part of the city after years of planning.
The Virginia Beach Development Authority on Tuesday authorized the sale of its Vanguard Landing loan to Sentara, forgoing $900,000.
The remaining balance of the promissory note was approximately $2.1 million, but the authority unanimously agreed to accept a steep discount: $1.2 million.
Original plans for Vanguard Landing include housing for 185 full-time residents, a garden, restaurant, sportsplex and an art center.
With Sentara now on board, the nonprofit’s plans may be changing.
“Our interest is to work with not only Vanguard Landing but the community,” said Aubrey Layne, Sentara’s executive vice president, governance and external affairs, at the Development Authority meeting. “We have made no decision whatsoever to follow the blueprint that is out there today.”
In 2014, the authority loaned Vanguard Landing $2.9 million with zero interest. The money was used to secure 75 acres for construction of a residential community for people with mild to moderate development and intellectual disabilities.
The authority extended the loan’s expiration date several times as Vanguard Landing worked to raise money. The nonprofit has paid the authority back approximately $728,000.
The rest of the money was to be returned when Vanguard Landing secured a construction loan from Virginia Housing, formerly the Virginia Housing Development Authority. Last December, as the note was set to expire again, Vanguard Landing asked to either pay it back at a discount or have the authority to get in line behind another lender.
The authority members postponed a decision and provided another extension. Meanwhile, a mutual friend of Vanguard Landing and Sentara connected the two entities, according to Layne.
Sentara will pay off the authority’s promissory note within 60 days and draft a new one with a deed of trust for the Vanguard Landing property, Layne said.
However, not everyone has supported the planned development.
Some local advocates have been outspoken about the benefits of integrating people with disabilities into the wider community. Vanguard Landing is not a government institution, but the majority of its residents will be people with disabilities, according to its website.
Representatives of The Arc of Virginia, a statewide advocacy organization of people with developmental disabilities and their family members, attended the authority’s meeting.
Kim Goodloe of Hanover, a mother of two children with developmental disabilities, said she felt some reassurances Tuesday after hearing Sentara will be involved.
“We know their mission is in the right place,” Goodloe said. “We want people with disabilities to be part of the conversation.”
Layne said he plans to meet with advocacy groups soon.
“Hopefully, we will be able to bring all the parties together and make this a successful community asset,” he said after the meeting. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
