The Department of Veterans Affairs has selected Finger Lakes Addictions Counseling and Referral Agency Inc. (FLACRA) and Cazenovia Recovery Systems (CRS) to develop supportive housing for homeless and at-risk veterans and their families at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center.  Victor-based Christa Construction is the contractor partnered with the FLACRA/CRS team on this project.

The housing will be created in the Fort Hill Avenue campus’ Building 14, which has been vacant for several years and was slated for renovation as veterans’ housing.

“This new housing model will be geared toward enabling veterans to achieve self sufficiency and live independently in the shortest possible time frame, maximizing the number of veterans served,” according to a press release from VA officials.

The new complex is to be called Cadence Square, and will provide a number of services and support programs to help homeless and at-risk veterans preparing to return to the community.

The private partners — Clifton Springs-based Finger Lakes Addictions Counseling and Referral Agency and western New York-based Cazenovia Recovery Systems — are drafting a development plan that, once approved by the VA, will provide a detailed blueprint and timeline for when veterans can access the new services. The plan is due in April.