Constantine Gardens fills housing need for older residents

by Elie Aoun

The transition to the later stages of life can be difficult, as many aging people seek different living arrangements or a neighborhood of similarly aged people. Developer Sam Petros created Constantine Gardens, a residential community for those 55 and older, because he saw a clear need for such a place among Richfield’s residents.

“People need alternative ways to live in their life, and especially people that are getting older … and for lots of reasons want to sell their home and live a simpler life,” he said.

Over the last year, Petros Development Group created Constantine Gardens on the site of the former Constantine Nursery and Garden Center after Petros successfully sought a zoning change from Village Council to allow for multifamily units.

The community features 44 homes for lease along Primrose Path, which lies off Brecksville Road. Most of the units have two bedrooms, while a few have one or three, and they range in size from 817 to 1,575 square feet. Petros said about 60% are already leased and occupied.

The pet-friendly homes all include a one- or two-car garage, keyless entryways, private patios and individually controlled digital climate systems, among a host of modern amenities.

As a 55+ community, Constantine Gardens requires at least 80% of its occupied homes to be inhabited by at least one resident who is 55 or older. The remaining 20% may be occupied by people under 55.

According to Petros, the average resident in Constantine Gardens is about 65 years old and has lived and/or worked in Richfield Village or Richfield Township before leasing a home in the new development.

Before the community was built, some Richfield residents attended Village Council meetings and expressed concerns about how the new community might affect traffic congestion, stormwater runoff, property values and the town’s infrastructure and emergency services. Some maintained that the development would lead to the village attaining city status, or bring city problems to the village.

Petros disputed those concerns, arguing that Constantine Gardens would be a “drop in the bucket” in terms of traffic and service use. “We hire highly professional engineers for water runoff and so forth, and then we get approved by three different agencies,” he said. He said he is glad that the Village Council approved the community’s development.

“I’m proud of the politicians in Richfield that stood up and did the right thing,” he said. “Because it’s easy to just not do anything because then people can’t blame you for anything. It’s brave to get up and do something, and they did the right thing. They did what was right by their voters and for their voters.”

“I pay attention to my tenants, and they’re really happy,” he said. He currently has no plans for other developments in Richfield.

A full list of amenities, floor plans and unit availability can be found at constantinegardens.com.

Photo caption: Patrice Tycast, from Brunswick, recently moved into one of the single-bedroom units of Constantine Gardens after looking at apartments in other communities. Photo by S. Serdinak.