Riderwood Resident and Staff Volunteers Are Now Renovating Lobby at Arcola Towers

Riderwood retirement community resident and staff volunteers – in partnership with Cypress Construction, Business Flooring, Glenmar Draperies, ClothWorks, and R.P. Hacker Painting – are now renovating the living room and lobby areas at  Arcola Towers, a high-rise apartment building for senior citizens located on University Boulevard between Arcola Avenue and Sligo Creek Parkway in Silver Spring, MD.  The lobby at Arcola Towers has not seen a renovation in many years.  The furniture and set-up of the living room are not conducive to meetings and activities.

The areas are badly in need of modernization and the furniture is in need of repair or replacement.   Riderwood and its partner companies are donating their services to fix and paint the walls, add all new lighting fixtures, change the flooring, and provide furniture.   A flat screen television, new window treatments, and custom woodwork are also being done.

Riderwood residents and staff will be at Arcola Towers all-day on Tuesday, February 12, to finish the renovation and to celebrate Valentine’s Day with Arcola Towers residents. Their work complements that being done by the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission.

“We will use some of our unused furniture to create several activity and sitting areas in the lobby,” said Eddie Bharucha, Communications and Customer Service Manager for Riderwood.  “We feel that we have some great expertise and best practices from having done our own life cycle improvements and can put them (and some of our resources) to good use by helping those in need.”

“Our mission is to create a community that celebrates life,” added Jean Landreville, Associate Executive Director for Riderwood. “One of the best ways we can do this is by helping others whenever and wherever we can.”

Arcola Towers, which has 141 efficiency and one-bedroom apartments, is a public housing community run by the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission and offers rents on a scale-based on income.  There are gardens and community rooms in a peaceful setting for all residents to enjoy.