Surrounded by Somerville Senior Center members, the Town of Somerville and the Morgan County Commission broke ground on the new senior center Wednesday. | Brent Maze

Members of the Somerville Senior Center will have a new home in the near future.

Officials with the Town of Somerville and the Morgan County Commission broke ground on the new facility Wednesday morning at the new senior center location, which is located behind the town library.

District 2 Commissioner Randy Vest said they were able to build the new facility, thanks in part to a land swap with the Town of Somerville.

“It’s a win-win for everyone,” Vest said. “The city swapped the land for the new senior center in exchange for the property and building of the current senior center.”

The new senior center is still located at the Somerville Town Square, just on the opposite side of it. In fact, the center will be located in front of the town’s community storm shelter.

“That’s something I know that they’re excited about, being so close to the storm shelter,” said Somerville Mayor Darren Tucker. “It’s not only going to provide that for the seniors, but it will give everyone better access to the storm shelter.”

Officials said the town will be able to reopen Alabama Street, located alongside the storm shelter, and there will be a paved driveway and parking lot for the storm shelter.

Once the new senior center is completed, Tucker said the town could still use the old building as a community center.

Vest said they were looking at another site on Alabama 67 for the senior center, but they decided against that location.

“We just felt this was a better option because we didn’t want our seniors to have to deal with the heavily traveled Highway 67,” Vest said. “This is a much safer option.”

Vest said the senior center has been designed similar to the Neel Senior Center but with a few slight changes. The 3,000-square-foot building will be bricked to match the old courthouse.

Etech Construction was awarded the building project at a cost between $258,000 and $259,000. County workers will perform the site preparation for the building, Vest said.