Abita Springs could become a haven for the disabled by the end of 2009, thanks to the efforts of a group of parents and business leaders who are building a community within a community called St. Andrews Village.

The project, which will be built on 100 acres of land on Louisiana Highway 36 in Abita Springs, has been a dream of a group of parents for 15 years. Earlier this year, the Abita Springs government gave its approval for the project, and St. Andrews Village, a non-profit group, will break ground in late 2009.

The concept of a community for the disabled is not a new one, said Donna Breaux, executive director of St. Andrews Village. There are similar facilities in Lafayette and other states. They are communities where the disabled and the developmentally challenged can live and work in a safe loving environment. They are self-sufficient communities that give the disabled a chance to be independent and contribute to society.

An architect's drawing of what St. Andrews Village will look like once it is finished in Abita Springs.

Breaux said St. Andrews Village will be different, and if successful, the first of its kind in the state and the country.

“Most of the other villages are exclusive and segregated, catering only to the disabled,” Breaux said. “Ours will be a mixed-use community and inclusive of everyone. We are taking the concept to the next level.”

By inclusive, she means the village will accept the elderly and parents of the disabled and others who do not want to be in an institution. Breaux got personally involved several years ago because of her disabled daughter, Kayla. Though her daughter died of leukemia in 2007, Breaux has not stopped working to make St. Andrews Village a reality. Gov. Bobby Jindal appointed Breaux to be the chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Disability Affairs.

The St. Andrews Village Board of Directors wanted a place where there were choices for the disabled and not a regimented life like in an institution.

“Being in an institution is not independent living,” Breaux said.

She said the board chose Abita Springs because the town welcomed them with open arms and realized that having such a community within town limits has its advantages.

St. Andrews Village bought the land in August 2008 for $1.2 million with the help of donations from the Weyerhaeuser Corp. and the Poitervent family.

When completed, the village will have a retail center, horticulture business, housing, a church, an amphitheatre and recreational facilities. The land also contains 30 acres of wetlands, which the group will use for tours and to teach people the importance of the environment. The retail center will have what Breaux calls “mom and pop” businesses. The shops will have to agree to hire the disabled as workers. There will also be a horticulture business where the residents will grow and sell plants.

“We will be a self-sufficient community,” Breaux said.

Breaux sees the village as a win-win situation for both the disabled and Abita Springs. A study has shown St. Andrews Village will create 100 full-time jobs, create several businesses and inject about $25 million into the local economy.

Behind the retail center will be housing. Phase one of the village will be to build four-bedroom apartments, which will house three people plus a support person hired by the village.

People can also build their homes within the village, Breaux said, but they must agree to donate the land to St. Andrews Village when they die.

Breaux said the architectural and engineering plans are ready, the infrastructure has all been planned out, and a traffic study is currently being done.

There are five phases to the village, which will cost about $30 million. Phase one will cost $10 million. St. Andrews Village has been depending on donations, applying for grants and fundraisers. Even though they get no government funds, the project has gotten the blessings from Jindal, St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu and other local government representatives.

“We have fought for community-based support, and we want to teach the community to live with the disabled,” Breaux said.

People can make online donations at the Web site, www.saintandrewsvillage.org. To get more information and details on the village, write to Breaux at donnabreaux@saintandrewsvillage.org.