Fire Suppression Funds To Bring Senior Housing Complex To Code

The city of Casper will contribute $25,000 towards a $250,000 fire suppression system for the eleven story Skyline Towers  building downtown.

The contribution is one of several pulled together to bring the building's affordable senior housing up to code and avoid eviction of its residents.

United Way Director, Mike Burnett, says his agency stepped in shortly after Skyline Towers management received formal notice of non-compliance from the city in early September.

"It was one of those thing that, OK, we can't allow this to continue. It's putting a senior population, average age is 77 years of age that reside there, at very serious risk."

The non-profit Skyline Towers management, Burnett says, will put up $100,000 of the $250,000 needed for the fire suppression system upgrade, with the balance coming from a coalition of sources including the city, the McMurry, Zimmerman, and Wyoming Community Foundations, along with Blue Envelope and anonymous donors.

Casper city council approved the $25,000 allocation at its Tuesday night meeting.