The Douglas County Senior Center was built in 2014 by Native American master stonemason Dennis Talas. The senior center was Dennis’ last project.
Dennis oversaw the placement of each and every cinder block in the building. Dennis finished the masonry aspect of the construction in February 2014, a month before he died. The finishing work took another four months to complete and the facility was opened to the public later in the year.
Photo: Daza Talas
The building’s design intentionally pays homage to the Carson Valley’s agrarian history. As with all his projects, Dennis strove for perfection while building the senior center. He would not sign off on a project – big or small – until he was sure that all the cinder blocks, bricks or stones were perfectly placed.
The center serves the community as a multi-generational hub by offering, a dining hall (complete with a commercial kitchen), adult day care, and a preschool alongside fitness amenities like a gymnasium, indoor track, and racquetball courts. Additionally, the center offers rooms for wedding receptions. benefits, meetings and parties. Truly, the center is everything Dennis thought it would be during its construction.
Dennis’ friends and family take comfort in knowing that this, his last perfect building, offers so much to the community, They feel it is a fitting testament to Dennis and his contributions to Nevada.