Hawthorne Terrace Ends 'Elderly Only' Status

The owners of Hawthorne Terrace apartments, once Hawthorne Middle School, have been given permission by the city to remove the limitation of renting to "elderly persons" only.

A modification of the owners' land-use agreement opens the apartments to applicants of all ages. The Wauwatosa Community Development Authority granted the request Monday in a unanimous vote, and no further approvals from the city are required.

Since 1985, when the agreement was first put in place to complete the redevelopment from school to senior apartments, with "pass-through" bonding assistance from what was then Wauwatosa Housing Authority, Hawthorne Terrace has been identified as an independent living center for older adults.

Up to now, the owners, the Reilly-Joseph Co., could rent the 100 units at Hawthorne Terrace, 7700 W. Portland Ave., only to tenants 55 years or older.

Reilly-Joseph said it was becoming more difficult to attract older adults to its independent living-only center, lacking facilities for assisted living as tenants needed it.

With a proliferation of expanded retirement centers where tenants can follow a progression from independent to assisted living to full nursing care, many seniors don't want to have to make another move when they need assistance.