Sen. Greg Hecht

has thrown his support behind efforts to raise money for a new senior

center for Fayette County.

Hecht last

week wrote to Gov. Roy Barnes asking the governor to recommend a $300,000

state appropriation to help build the center, either in the supplemental

2001 budget or in the full budget for 2002.

"The city

of Fayetteville and Fayette Senior Services hope to raise nearly $2 million

of what appears to be a $2.5 million project," Hecht told the governor.

FSS programs

like Meals on Wheels "mean so much to our citizens," he wrote,

but added that "space is running out" at the county's current

senior center.

Plans are to

build a new senior center on land provided by Fayette County, next to

the new county jail and courthouse, under construction next to the current

judicial complex. The senior center would be near the entrance to the

complex, on Jimmie Mayfield Boulevard.

Architects

have developed a rendering to show how they expect the facility to look,

and a design committee is meeting frequently in efforts to come up with

a design that will be compatible with plans for the county complex, said

Andy Carden, director of FSS.

Plans are for

a building of about 13,000 square feet that can serve both active and

less active seniors.

Consulting

firm Mallett and Associates, the firm that is overseeing the county complex

construction, will handle engineering of the senior center, Carden said,

ensuring that architectural styles won't clash.

Working with

architects Fynn and Fingerup, the design committee is almost ready with

a plan for the building, Carden added. "We started with discussions

of need, and worked from the need out," he said.

Fayette's government

over the years has earmarked some money for the project, and FSS has a

little money of its own, he said. FSS officials hope to secure community

development block grants for at least part of the cost, and volunteers

will be seeking private and corporate donations and grants for the rest.

"When

all is said and done, I'd like to say I've got enough money," he

said.

Plans to start

the fund-raising were delayed early last year when the County Commission

reversed an earlier commission's promise to provide land for the senior

center on Lee Street next to the current center.

Commissioners

decided to delay a decision on where to place the senior center until

they had time to master-plan the 65-acre site with room for the new jail,

courthouse, senior center and a future county administration building.

FSS members

have been working toward a new center for years. The current senior center,

at 390 Lee St. , is too small for the services FSS offers, said Carden.

FSS moved into

the 3,300-sq. ft. house soon after it organized about 20 years ago, and

members of the group have been working toward the hope of a permanent

facility ever since then, he said.