Kerrville follows Freedom’s Path to disabled senior veterans

KERRVILLE – Willie Askey has more than a passing interest in Freedom’s Path, a $10.5 million housing complex for disabled veterans that was first proposed for construction here more than three years ago.

The Army veteran who served with allied occupying forces after World War II has closely followed its herky-jerky progress because he hopes to reside in the development.

Now earthmoving equipment and subcontractors are preparing the site for Phase I of the new Freedom’s Path apartments for disabled senior veterans.

The planned size of the vets’ housing is 49 units plus two guest suites, according to Dan Cook of S Cook Construction.

Plans for Phase I show 27 one-bedroom, one-bath apartments, as well as 22 two-bedroom, one-bath units. Units will range from 710 sf to 890 sf.

The complex will have a three-story building for residences, and an attached one-story clubhouse that will contain a kitchen, dining room, media room and office.

Plans indicate that the facility should be completed by December 2015.

The attraction and benefit of the housing will focus on living in a community of other veterans with similar life conditions and experiences, and living in immediate proximity to the at the Kerrville VA Medical Center (VAMC) where the main locus of needed services and benefits are to be found.

There is a potential plan for a Phase II building, but for now, contractors and subcontractors are only working on the first Phase I units.

Craig Taylor of Communities for Veterans anticipates no trouble finding residents to fill the complex, noting an estimated 6,400 veterans are among Kerr County’s population of roughly 50,000.