Crews are making significant progress on the construction of the City of Tallahassees second senior center on Welaunee Boulevard. ABC 27 took a peek inside the building to see what neighbors can expect.
According to Director of Construction John Powell, the new center is on track to be open in spring 2026. The new center will operate in conjunction with the city’s current senior center located on North Monroe Street. Watch the video to hear what crews have been working on since starting construction.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Walls are up, windows are installed, and the roof is nearly complete.
It marks major milestones in the construction progress on the City of Tallahassees second senior center on Welaunee Boulevard since breaking ground last year.
The paint is going on the walls. The ceiling has been hung. The air conditioning is in place. All the utilities, the electric, the water, the fiber optic, etc, Powell said.
The citys current and only center on North Monroe Street is what the city describes as “bursting at the seams.”
It serves about 500 people a day, including staff and volunteers who organize about 200 activities a month.
The problem is that our current senior center is so well attended and enjoyed by the community that it’s reached capacity, and we needed an additional senior center, Powell said.
This new center, sitting at about 40,000 square feet, is set to hold a maximum capacity of nearly 1,500 people.
The citys Director of Construction, John Powell, took ABC 27 inside.
There, he showed ABC 27 work on the front lobby and activity room, a new auditorium, and a gym for basketball courts and indoor pickleball courts.
But he tells me the biggest difference will be more parking, a total of 246 spots, and more room to create additional programs.
The total cost is $25 million.
The senior center is an opportunity for our elder community to stay engaged, to make and keep social connections, to combat isolation and loneliness, to stay well and fit and healthy, to increase their independence, longevity, and quality of life. It’s an asset to our community, Powell said.
Powell says he expects most construction to be done by the end of the year.
After, he expects staff to spend a few months moving in furniture to be ready to open in spring 2026.
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