Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato yesterday announced a $1.5 million loan offered to the Kane Regional Center in Ross for a planned independent living development.

In addition to the PennHOMES loan, the Pennsylvania Housing Financing Agency awarded the Kane center low-income tax credits expected to generate $7.85 million in private equity for the $11.8 million construction project.

"The North Hills Highland building at the Kane-Ross will give Allegheny County seniors access to a continuum of care and additional services," said Mr. Onorato. "This is a key part of our Kane Action Plan, which responds to the changing needs of our population."

The new building at Kane-Ross will include 54 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom senior housing units, a community room, kitchen, lounge, library, laundry room and meeting space.

Support services will be offered at the facility for no additional cost to the residents. The Allegheny County Department of Economic Development is providing a $1.3 million loan for the project, and the county housing authority is providing $1 million.

Dennis Biondo, Kane's executive director, said work should start in the next six months and the apartments should be finished in 12 to 18 months.

The county's action plan started with the conversion of bed space into senior apartment units at all locations of the John J. Kane Regional Centers.

The plan was devised by a committee appointed by Mr. Onorato in 2005 to streamline costs and services because the centers were hamstrung by deficits in the last few years.

The first step, Mr. Biondo said, was to cut the number of beds. Last year, the centers cut the number of beds by a combined 210 at the Ross and Glen Hazel centers, cutting the overall capacity at the Kanes from 1,334 to 1,124.