UTICA - As the East Side Senior Day Center prepares to close its doors August 31st, it's left the remaining seniors who use the center, devastated.

These women live all over the Greater Utica area - New Hartford, Whitesboro, New York Mills - so why do they all travel the way to the East Side Senior Center off of Mohawk Street in Utica?

Because it was like coming home again.

"We grew up in this section of the city," said Carmella Biasi. "We grew up on Elizabeth Street."

But at the close of business August 31st, the East Side Senior Center will close its doors for good

"We all cried, we did," said Biasi. "It's like our second home, you know? We're here all the time."

"It was sad," said Rose Jalowiec. "We've been coming here a long time and you make friends."

Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency, which runs programs at the East Side Senior Center, will not renew their agreement with the city to do so when it expires August 31.

The city and the agency say there simply aren't enough people using the services to justify keeping the center open. But for those who do enjoy coming here, it hurts.

"It is kind of depressing thinking," said Jalowiec. "Who knows...maybe we'll still get together, maybe not," said "I don't know what's going to happen."

City Urban and Economic Development Commissioner Bob Sullivan says "A senior citizen in the City of Utica should never feel that transportation is a hindrance for them getting to one of the centers; we will always find a way to get them there."

As for what will happen to the city-owned building, Sullivan isn't sure about that.

What he does know is that, with a broken elevator and aging roof, it'll cost a lot to keep the building open and viable for another tenant.