Stroudwater Apartments in Westbrook is on track to be ready for occupancy Oct. 1. Robert Lowell / American Journal

A four-story affordable housing complex for residents 55 and older is nearing completion, and Westbrook Housing Executive Director Chris LaRoche expects the 55-unit building will fill up fast.

Stroudwater Apartments, within walking distance of downtown, is across the street from Westbrook High School and next to the Maine Army National Guard armory. It’s only minutes from the Portland International Jetport and the Maine Mall. The complex is on track to be ready for occupancy Oct. 1.

“It is wonderful to see this project coming to completion,” Westbrook acting Mayor David Morse said in an email this week to the American Journal. “It looks great and helps to alleviate the ongoing housing shortage crisis in our region.

“Senior housing like these units provide an affordable opportunity for seniors in our community to stay in Westbrook when they may be looking to downsize from a larger home,” Morse said.

Rent for the one-bedroom apartments is $1,434 per month. “That’s really reasonable,” LaRoche said. To qualify, a single renter’s income cap is $53,580 a year and a two-person household’s cap is $61,200.

LaRoche said rent includes utilities – heat, hot water, electricity and air conditioning. “This building is highly energy efficient,” he said.

Each apartment is equipped with an air conditioning and heat pump unit, and all lighting is LED. The building will have a backup generator to ensure that power is not lost.

Amenities include an elevator, one parking space per apartment, an EV charging station, four outdoor sitting areas, a workout room with equipment, a community room, a laundromat and an on-site walking trail. Occupants will have a place to empty their trash inside the building, and each floor has a sitting area near the elevator.

A property manager will have an office in the building, and residents will use a secure entrance using a code.

Westbrook Housing Executive Director Chris LaRoche calls the walking trail at the Stroudwater Apartments site “a gem.” Robert Lowell / American Journal

Some of the apartments are equipped to accommodate residents with disabilities, and LaRoche said other apartments could easily be converted to be ADA compliant. The building was designed by CWS Architects and built by Allied Construction, both in Scarborough.

“We’re very proud of this building,” LaRoche said.

The housing authority enhanced walkability in the neighborhood with extended sidewalks and natural landscaping. “It’s our goal to have a positive impact on the neighborhood,” LaRoche said.

The city-owned site was once a popular place for families to ice skate, but its use had diminished in recent years with milder winter temperatures. The authority acquired the site from the city for $350,000. “Additionally,” Morse said, “they contributed $150,000 to a fund that may be used by the city in the future towards a new ice-skating feature.”

Chris LaRoche speaks Aug. 22 at Westbrook Housing’s 55th anniversary celebration. Robert Lowell / American Journal

Morse said Westbrook Housing also spent $250,000 for civic improvements including ADA-compliant public sidewalks, crosswalks and park benches.

The site features a walking path through a wooded area that connects with Bicentennial Park and the Portland Trail network and is open to the public.

“We didn’t disturb the current ecosystem,” LaRoche said. “It’s a gem.”

The project’s completion comes during the 55th anniversary of Westbrook Housing. Applications for apartments are available by contacting Westbrook Housing at 854-9779 or online westbrookhousing.org.