Business Of The Week: Casa De Suisun

Located on Merganser Drive off Sunset Avenue, is an independent living senior facility that provides more than 100 apartments for senior and disabled residents and is within blocks of just about every kind of store or service needed.

The convenience of location is a big factor for many of the seniors that decide to move there.

“People come by and ask if I like Casa de Suisun and I say I love Casa de Suisun—I really do, or I wouldn’t be here,” said Agnes Kulhanek, resident.

 Stores such as Raley’s, Rite-Aid, and Dollar Tree are within walking distance to the complex, a block or two at the most. Seniors also enjoy the variety of restaurants in the area, as well as the post office located just across the street, and a couple of places to choose from to get their hair done.

“I lived in Fairfield before I lived here and I wouldn’t live anywhere else,” said Kulhanek.

Kulhanek has been living in the senior apartments for more than 20 years. She moved to California from her home state of Pennsylvania to look for her son who was living in the area after being discharged from the Vietnam War. She found soon after moving that he had passed away, but decided to stay in the area. Though she didn’t have very many friends or family in the area, she found a sense belonging at Casa de Suisun.

“Out here we have a lot of fun,” she said.

Built by a small group of private investors in 1987, Casa de Suisun was constructed at the same time as the located next door.  The idea was, indeed, to offer a place to stay in close proximity to the senior center.

Seniors living in the apartments not only have the option of participating in activities at the senior center, but at the apartment complex, as well. Bingo is offered at least once a week, along with other group activities.

Each apartment is one bedroom and includes a large walk-in closet, cable television connections, an intercom system and individual storage units. Seniors are also allowed to have a small dog or cat.

“What’s nice about this place is the owner is senior friendly,” said Jan Davenport, project manager. “Prices are below market and we do accept section 8 so we have a lot of seniors that are low income.

Though Davenport has worked in property management prior to coming to work at Casa de Suisun, she said she especially enjoys what she does now. She values the relationships with the tenants the most. Some of the biggest rewards come from some of the simplest of her everyday tasks, and she doesn’t take any of it for granted.

“Sometimes I have a woman come down that just wants her peanut butter jar opened so she can make cookies for her grand kids and, doing that, when I go home at night, is priceless,” said Davenport.