KYLE — After years of the older adult community gathering at the Krug Activity Center in downtown Kyle, a community hub for seniors is in the works. In an effort to make this facility the best it can be, the city of Kyle hosted a Dacy Lane Facility Programming Town Hall on Jan. 29.
Approximately four to five years ago, the Kyle Area Senior Zone (KASZ) raised more than $200,000 for a new senior center — which has since been returned, said council member Michael Tobias — but the project was delayed over the years, as other construction has taken priority, said Mayor Travis Mitchell at a senior center update in July 2023. Here, he suggested the idea of a community center that would include a library and other facilities, in addition to a space for older adults within the community, which would require a bond.
Nearly a year later, in June 2024, Kyle City Council approved a negotiation to purchase a property on Dacy Lane for a “fair and reasonable” price for a potential senior center, so they would have their own space, or other community uses.
The facility, located at 1500 Dacy Lane, Kyle, was originally spotted by Tobias in 2021, he explained to town hall attendees.
“I just happened to notice that for several months, this building looked like it was empty because I would never see any cars there. So, I actually drove up there and started snooping around,” he said.
Afterwards, council began looking into the space and touring it. The 10,000 square-foot building has 75-100 parking spaces and is almost entirely unfinished, apart from walls, and — taking into account for bathrooms, hallways and more — would leave an estimated 7,5008,000 square feet for a senior center renovation.
The building was purchased for a total of $3,273,722 on Dec. 24, 2024, said council member Lauralee Harris, with Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects signing onto the project on Jan. 7, 2025. The Dallas-based company has worked on several renowned community spaces, said BSW senior principal Stephen Springs, including The Summit in Grand Prairie, Texas.
“Traditionally, what you see in senior centers in terms of common programs, socialization spaces, health and wellness spaces and a big part of a lot of senior facilities are meal programs,” said Springs. “We’re still learning about what that might look like in your community and how we might provide spaces for that … There’s a balance between making sure we cater to the traditional seniors and their legitimate needs, but also trying to cater to the next generation.”
According to Springs, the city and BSW hosted focus group meetings, consisting of KASZ members and non-KASZ members, to gauge amenity interest.
In addition to those, the programming town hall was to receive feedback from community members, as attendees placed stickers next to the amenities that interested them most. Some of the most popular characteristics of the future facility included high storage needs, controlled access, meal programs, card and table games, cardio exercise space with cubbies and Zumba and painting and quilting crafts.
The space available, Springs explained, is locked into the building itself and will not include outdoor activities.
In response to this, one attendee asked what opportunities there will be to grow, since the space cannot be expanded.
According to Harris, bigger cities typically have more than one senior facility, so this could be the goal in the future.
“What we have said is that the seniors will have priority with their scheduling, but at the times that the seniors are not using the building, evenings like this [you’re] not over there, weekends — most weekends — the seniors are not using the building,” said Harris. “When you don’t have schedules, it’s a city-owned building, so the city will be able to manage that.”
Tobias continued on this same topic, stating that other groups, such as organizations from the high schools, can use the facility, which aids in building relationships within the city.
According to Parks and Recreation Director David Lopez, the town hall was the only feedback event the city will be hosting, as they have received ample feedback from the older adult community over the years. For those who were unable to attend the meeting, feedback for the center can be sent to parks@cityofkyle. com.
“We heard loud and clear that council wants to open this as soon as possib le.
So, that’s our charge and that’s our plan,” Springs said.
The plan, said Lopez, is to present the comments and information to the Parks and Recreation Board in late February and bring a concept to Kyle City Council Tuesday, March 18.
For more information on the town hall and the facility, visit www.cityofkyle. com/1500dacylane.
