City council OK design work for Senior Center move

City council OK design work for Senior Center move

The Albert Lea City Council voted on April 13 to approve a design proposal for a new Senior Center. The proposed location is within the Jim and Dude’s building at 1705 S.E. Broadway Ave., formerly known as the HealthReach building.

The design proposal, submitted by Wold Architects and Engineers of Minneapolis, will cost a maximum of $14,000. Wold Architects and Engineers previously designed parts of the building for HealthReach. Thanks to donations of $5,000 each from two local business owners, the net cost to the city for this design work will be $4,000 or less.

This architectural design is a necessary step for the Recreation Department to obtain construction estimates for remodeling a portion of Jim and Dude’s into the new Senior Center.

The decision follows a comprehensive assessment of the Senior Center conducted in 2025 by a community-based team. This assessment utilized standards set by the National Council On Aging and the National Institute of Senior Centers. While the Senior Center met all standards except for its facility, the current location within Skyline Plaza has significant issues. These include a lack of accessibility for people with disabilities, recurring roof leaks, sewer problems, and a poorly maintained parking lot.

Last year, the Senior Center sought proposals for a new location and received three options: the current Skyline Plaza site, where it has been since 1998; the former Herberger’s building, a longstanding retail landmark proposed by the Albert Lea Healthcare Coalition; and the Jim and Dude’s building.

In December 2025, the Senior Center Board recommended that the council move the center to Jim and Dude’s. Their recommendation cited the building’s sound condition, accessible features, good parking lot, favorable location along Broadway Avenue—a key commercial corridor in Albert Lea—natural light, and other amenities.

Following the completion of this design phase, any move would still require further council approval for construction and a long-term lease agreement.