A senior services center in Bend is being renovated to offer improved, additional space for older adults to socialize, share meals and discuss their needs.

The Council on Aging of Central Oregon has used the building on Fifth Street as a local senior center for weekly lunches and a hub for Meals on Wheels, a program that delivers meals to seniors’ homes. The building has become a popular destination for seniors since the closure of the Bend Senior Center at 15th Street and Reed Market Road for the past year due to its planned expansion.

Susan Rotella, the council’s executive director, said the renovations will allow the organization to offer more meals and space for the seniors to gather.

“It’s going to give them a place to go for companionship, for food and give them direct access to many more services our staff can provide,” Rotella said.

The 8,750 square-foot building was constructed in 1952 and was used as a church, community center and soup kitchen over the years.

“There is service in this building’s bones,” Rotella said.

But over that time, the building has aged and is in need of major repairs. The council on aging bought the building in 2018 and invested $125,000 to clean it and upgrade the kitchen and heating and cooling unit.

With the help of several charitable foundations and organizations, the council on aging has raised $400,000 to begin the first phase of renovations on the building. The council is raising funds to cover the entire $2 million renovation, allowing it to finish the second and third phases of the project.

In the meantime, crews with Redmond-based SunWest Builders are working to finish the first phase by October. Work includes improving a ramp, patio and stairs to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Inside, work will be done to expand the dishwashing station and build a larger pantry.

Rotella said the council was going to wait to begin renovations, but had the space and time this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency closed its doors to in-person meals, and the only activities are weekly grab-and-go meals.

“What we are doing is taking advantage of the fact that while folks can’t be in the building we can get some of these big projects done,” Rotella said.

Depending on fundraising, the next phases of the renovation will begin next year.

Those phases include replacing the siding for the entire building and replacing many of the windows. In addition, the final phase will create new space inside for conference rooms, living rooms and a library.

“There is no part of this building that will go untouched,” Rotella

said.

During the renovation, the council is still using the space to serve seniors. Volunteers meet at the building to gather food for the Meals on Wheels program and seniors come three days a week for the grab-and-go meal program.

When the renovations are complete and the pandemic passes, Rotella envisions being able to offer meals five days a week and increase other offerings.

“We are going to be able to have so many more of our services available,” she said. “And it will be open to the public to come in.”