Corte Madera is moving forward with an intergenerational center.

The Town Council voted unanimously to proceed with a five-year lease for a new center at 195 Tamal Vista Blvd. at a meeting Tuesday. The new center would cost an average of $337,198 per year, with most funding coming from the town’s sales tax fund.

“There’s just a desire for people to connect more and more,” Mayor Pat Ravasio said. “This is a place where a lady who is facing isolation at home can grab her knitting and go chat for a few hours over a cup of coffee. Community, that third place that we keep hearing about, that’s what I really want to focus on while I can because I think it’s the most valuable way to improve our community.”

Councilmember Eli Beckman recused himself from the discussion because he lives near the proposed center.

The town’s previous intergenerational center, at the Corte Madera Community Center, opened in 2018 but closed in 2020. There has not been a specific space for older adult classes or activities since the center closed. The previous center was run by the nonprofit Age Friendly Solutions, led by former town Councilmember Carla Condon.

The council also greenlit an agreement with Condon for no more than $25,000 to help with developing and operating the center.

Some of the center’s programming — chair yoga, bridge, watercolor class and senior exercise — was integrated into the the Parks and Recreation Department’s class schedules. However, space at the center is limited, and senior activities compete with other uses and users, Town Manager Adam Wolff said.

“It became pretty obvious that if we were going to do this, it was going to have to look outside of the exciting facilities at the community center given the other uses there,” Wolff said.

In June, Age Friendly Corte Madera conducted a survey of residents 60 years and older, which received over 800 responses. Results showed a drop-in multipurpose public facility that supported various social activities was one of the most desired amenities for the town’s seniors, according to the staff report.

A space that is specifically designed for activities that promote healthy living and reducing social isolation, with dedicated activity classrooms and social gathering spaces for older adults, is a need in the community, Wolff said.

Researching options for a senior-specific space is not new; it was in the 2024 and 2025 staff work plans approved by the Town Council.

Town staff evaluated several potential locations over the last year. The Tamal Vista Boulevard location is within a 180-unit apartment complex, but Wolff said that the center could be an amenity for those residents as well.

“It’s sort of an already existing multigenerational property with families and individual adults and mixed income, so it’s a great site for that purpose as well with a ready-made clientele,” Wolff said.

The building was constructed in 2017, meaning it has most of the accessibility requirements and is close to move-in-ready, which helps keep costs down, Wolff said. It’s also near many multiuse paths that connect to downtown, gardens and neighborhoods.

Rough conceptual plans envision one large and one small activity room, a flexible space that opens to an outside patio, a bathroom, a lobby, and a space for the chamber of commerce. There are 14 parking spaces for the center, with additional parking on Nellen Avenue.

The center would be run by the Parks and Recreation Department. Town staff are considering a yearly membership fee, with most programs offered at the center and some at the community center or a local pool. Sample classes include poker, book club, a sewing group, various art classes, Zumba, yoga and bingo.

The five-year lease with landlord BCF 1 Tam Ridge LP for the 3,100 square foot space would run the town about $6,800 a month in rent for the first year, with 3% increase each year. The town would also pay around $2,611 in insurance, taxes and janitorial services per month. Wolff said staff were able to negotiate a $43,000 credit for improvements on top of a three-month base rent credit.

The five-year cost estimate for the intergenerational center, beginning in December of fiscal years 2025-26, is $1.3 million. The estimate includes one-time expenses such as furniture and consultants, as well as recurring costs such as utilities and staffing.

The town expects a $50,000 grant from Age Friendly Corte Madera, and potential rent revenue from the chamber of commerce to help with expenses. The town will also accept donations to go toward the center.

The town must finalize the grant agreement with Age Friendly Corte Madera, secure a conditional use and a building permit, and hire a contractor.

The center is expected to be open in about seven months, Wolff said.