If

you have a spare $3 million you would like to

donate toward the building of the new senior

center in Fayetteville, then Fayette Senior

Services can break ground for the project as soon

as your check clears the bank.

Barring

the appearance of such a large donor, the group

will continue with its current fund-raising

plans.

FSS,

a nonprofit organization, is seeking financial

support for the construction of a new 21,000-sq.

ft. multipurpose senior center. Leaders estimate

the cost for the building to be approximately 2.5

million dollars.

The

board of FSS has announced plans to begin

simultaneously approaching leaders in the

community and community corporations, and

pursuing corporate grants and endowments. The

fund-raising committee also is considering hiring

a consultant to assist or spearhead the raising

of funds to build the new senior center.

Recently

the group received its first bronze level

donation from Vicki Tuner. Turner serves on the

board and is the co-owner of AIS Computers.

Fayette

County also has been working with the seniors to

assist in the project. In addition to providing

three acres for the center, the county has

allocated $25,000 a year for the past seven years

for the FSS capital funding program. FSS is in

the process of applying for a $500,000 state of

Georgia Community Base Development Grant and

hopes to obtain approximately $1 million in

grants and gifts from other foundations.

"The

remaining funds will be solicited from the

citizens and corporations in Fayette

County," said Ted Brown, FSS board

president, in a fund-raising letter. "When

the capital funds are combined with Fayette

Senior Services' own funding efforts, it is our

hope that you will assist us in reaching our goal

of approximately $800,000."

The

new center will be built on the southeast corner

of a 65-acre site for the county's new courthouse

and expanded jail in Fayetteville. The center

will be approximately 250 feet from Jimmy

Mayfield Boulevard and approximately 200 feet

from the southern residential neighborhood

property line.

The

Fayette County Commission has offered to

coordinate site development with FSS, a move that

should result in some cost-savings for the

organization. FSS will reimburse the county for

any expenses incurred.

Flynn-Finderup

Architects, the firm chosen to design the new

center, has submitted a schematic design for the

building, which has been approved by the FSS

board. Additionally, Flynn-Finderup has hired Jim

Mallet & Associates as its project civil

engineer. Mallet also is project manager for the

county's $60 million jail/courthouse project.

The

hiring of Mallet will help ensure compatibility

in the exterior look of both projects, said a

spokesman.

According

to literature provided by Flynn-Finderup,

"The goal of the county and the senior

center is to create a parklike setting,

preserving as many existing mature trees as

possible and maintaining buffers that exceed the

minimum development standards."

County

Commission Vice Chairman Greg Dunn has met on

several occasions with representatives from FSS

and the architects. "Fayette Senior Services

and Flynn-Finderup have been very gracious in

acceding to our requests regarding siting of the

building and architectural considerations,"

said Dunn. "I'm impressed with their recent

progress and look forward to a world-class senior

center in a very short time frame. I'm pleased

that we have been able to establish such a good

working relationship."

To

make a donation or for more information, phone

Andy Carden or Ted Brown through Fayette Senior

Services at 770-461-0813. Donations also can be

mailed to 390 Lee St., Fayetteville 30214-2056.

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