Uniondale, NY The new St. Michael’s Home, an 11-acre independent, assisted living and nursing care complex that will serve elderly residents throughout the region, received a crucial boost from a local property owner, who provided nearly one-third of the needed funds.
St. Michael’s, which is developing the complex at 1220 Front St. is renovating an existing 90,000 s/f building on the site to create 21 one-bedroom independent living apartments, 48 private independent and assisted living studios with private bathrooms, nursing care beds and a memory care unit serving elderly clients with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Efstathios Valiotis, principal of Alma Realty, which owns and manages 366 housing units and 500,000 s/f of commercial space in nearby Hempstead and Valley Stream, was proud to donate $10 million towards the project.
“As a company with a long record of investing in Long Island communities to create transit-friendly livable urban environments, we are thrilled to offer our strong support to St. Michael’s on this important project, which will serve a pressing need to care for the elderly,” said Valiotis. “By providing these critical support services, St. Michael’s is giving families from throughout the area a reason to stay in the community, close to home, and remain connected to their loved ones.”
“We are eternally indebted to Mr. Valiotis and his wife Stamatiki, for their incredibly generous donation of $10 million towards the expansion of St. Michael’s,” said His Grace Bishop Andonios, director of the facility. “It is the largest single gift the home has received in its 60-year history and is certainly a testament to the incredible magnanimity of the Valiotis family and their deep concern for their fellow citizens. This facility will impact the lives of so many elderly and their families who entrust their care to St. Michael’s which for six decades has offered quality care to the elderly and now looks to expand its levels of care and outreach to the community.”
The property is close to several parishes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, including the Cathedral of St. Paul’s in Hempstead, St. Demetrios Church in Merrick, and the Church of the Resurrection in Brookville.
St. Michael’s purchased the property from the Rockville Centre Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church for $7 million in 2014. With the efforts of Bishop Andonios and the board of trustees, it is in the midst of a $35 million capital campaign that will help fund the top-to-bottom renovation of the building on the property.
The new independent living facilities will include three meals a day; 24-hour security; housekeeping services; an on-site beauty salon, library and computer labs and access to religious services. Assisted living residents will have healthcare liaisons, personalized care, escorts to dining and other events as well as daily monitoring and medication administration.
“It is our responsibility to care for the elderly and to ensure their needs are met, whenever possible in their local communities, surrounded by family and friends,” said Valiotis. “That is why we are proud to support this very worthy project.”
First opened in Yonkers, N.Y., in 1958, St. Michael’s is the only Greek Orthodox facility of its kind in the United States. It is sustained by boarding fees from residents and the generous support of its many benefactors and friends.
Alma Realty is a residential and commercial developer which owns over 12,000 housing units in NY and NJ, including Sun Valley Towers in Valley Stream, which won a 2016 Vision Long Island Award for sustainable development. The Valitotis family is involved with many charitable endeavors, including in the Greek-American community.
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