ELLENVILLE – It's out with the old and in with…well, the old, now that the Ellenville Senior Apartment Project has received about $7 million in state funding for the nearly $8 million construction project.

Jonah Mandelbaum, who is the developer of the project with his company, Warwick Properties, says he hopes to have the eight-month construction project started this September. The building will be identical to the one constructed during phase one, which has 42 one-bedroom units on land purchased from the Ellenville Regional Hospital.

"It's identical… basically the same thing — if you wrote for phase one, you can write for this," jokes Mandelbaum. "It's no different."

"We'll fill that building in one day, basically, because we have so many people on the waiting list from the last building… but we do urge people to call the office if they want to get on the list, because there's going to be a lottery system.

"Plus there's another building coming up after that," he adds, referring to the proposed phase three, which will create yet one more apartment building. "This is a win-win for the Ellenville community," said State Senator John Bonacic in a press release regarding the state funding his office helped secure for the project. "It provides more funding for the Ellenville Hospital and high quality, affordable housing for area seniors."

According to the press release, the funding was made possible through an award of tax credits made by the New York State Division of Housing.

"Without [Senator Bonacic's] help, this project would not be getting off the ground," says Mandelbaum. "For phase one, he was really unbelievable… The first thing he said was, 'what can I do?'

"He took the bull by the horns and ran with it. He's been helping us ever since. Without John's help, I don't think it would be the success story that it is."

However, while things are moving ahead with the next part of the apartment project, a snafu from a few months ago in the already-built apartment complex is still causing some concern. Back in March, a burst pipe rendered eight apartments uninhabitable, destroying much of the property in those apartments in the process. The apartments themselves have since been fully restored, but as the weeks wore on, there were reports that no reimbursement for the lost property had been issued — and months later, the son of one resident says his mother and the rest of those affected by the incident have yet to receive any damages.

"Four months, and not a dime…and the old ladies down there are really getting — they're complaining," he says, wishing for him and his mother to stay anonymous. "They say, 'what is going on?' There's talk of them getting a lawyer…he [Mandelbaum] hasn't shown up, hasn't given any explanation. Nothing."

However, as reported in April, Mandelbaum again says he's not the one responsible for providing payment for the lost property.

"I have nothing to do with it, it's the sprinkler company's insurance," says Mandelbaum, referring to Sullivan Sprinklers, the company that installed the pipe that broke.

"It's up to the individual to get tenant insurance. It costs maybe a hundred dollars a year, that's all it is. If they would've done that in the beginning, they would give them a check in two weeks… it's like if you have a car, and you park in our parking lot. If someone breaks in and steals your car, are we responsible? No, you're supposed to have insurance on your car."

Ira Gold, of Sullivan Sprinklers out of South Fallsburg, says that the wheels are in motion, but that he doesn't know when people will receive damages.

"Everything has been reported to the insurance company. Whatever people have sent us, bills have been sent in — you know these insurance companies. Everyone's going to get paid — it's not a question of whether they're going to get paid, it's a question of the insurance companies moving. And I want you to know, a couple people have called me a few times, I've called the insurance company every time, trying to push it.

"I feel awful," he says. "These people are entitled to it. But unfortunately, insurance companies move at the speed that they move at."

However, when asked what insurance company was handling the claim, Gold was unable to provide a name.

"My agent is handling it. I don't know the name of my insurance, you know, the actual company that does the insurance. I do it through an agent.

"I'm not trying to avoid anything, I'm really not. Trust me, everyone who's entitled to get paid will get paid every dime," he says.

And will Warwick Properties be using Sullivan Sprinklers for phase two of the apartment project? Mandelbaum says yes, since the company itself wasn't at fault, but rather, had the misfortune to use a faulty part that he says was likely damaged in its manufacture.

"The whole world makes mistakes. It's not the company itself," he says.