In The Pipeline: Developer Penrose Opens Affordable, LGBTQ-Focused Community; Greystone Consults on New Mexico CCRC

In the Pipeline is brought to you by the Senior Housing News Architecture & Design Awards, an annual competition that recognizes cutting-edge design, excellence, and innovation in senior living.

Construction: In Progress

Emerald Heights breaks ground on expansions, renovations

The Washington-based Emerald Heights life plan community recently broke ground on its 42 unit Courtyard apartment building for IL residents.

Architects from Rice Fergus Miller also designed a 54-unit expansion of Emerald Heights’ AL residences with an estimated construction start set for “late 2023,” a release from the community said.

Today, Emerald Heights has the capacity for more than 550 residents across IL, AL and memory care.

Construction: Complete

Developer Penrose opens $13M Cincinnati community

Developer Penrose in connection with Northsiders Engaged in Sustainable Transformation (NEST) recently celebrated the grand opening of a new affordable active adult senior living community geared towards LGBTQ+ individuals.

The $13 million community includes 57 new apartments for seniors 55 and older. The three-story, elevator building includes studio, one-and two-bedroom apartments available at 30% to 60% of the area median income, with rents ranging from $444 to $1,212.

The project meets demand for inclusive, affordable living in the region where the National Low Income Housing Coalition reports 43 available rental homes per every 100 low income renters in Ohio.

Apartments feature modern kitchens with electric range appliances and a dishwasher. Floor plans also include spacious closets, carpeted bedrooms, vinyl living areas, ceramic-tiled bathrooms and central air conditioning. Pet-friendly units are also available.

Shared community amenities include a resident lounge, on-site laundry, fitness center, wellness suite, outdoor terrace, pet playground and access to an on-site management team.

Programming and services will be provided through Pennrose Management Company, CAIN (Churches Active in Northside), and Caracole, the Greater Cincinnati region’s nonprofit AIDS Service Organization.

Financing was provided by an award of Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, with equity provided by CREA HOME funding from the City of Cincinnati. A federal home loan for the project is underwritten by Fifth Third Bank.

El Castillo Retirement Residences opens New Mexico community

Nonprofit owner and operator El Castillo Retirement Residences with management consulting from Greystone recently opened a new 200,000 square-foot community in Sana. Fe, New Mexico.

La Secoya de El Castillo sits on a two-and-a-half acre site that includes 68 one- and two-bedroom IL apartments with on-site healthcare and a range of amenities. The development sits atop a 55,000 square-foot parking facility able to accommodate up to 150 vehicles along with 47 resident storage units.

Centrally located, the project is within walking distance from the Lensic Performing Arts Center. The community emphasizes the region’s natural beauty including the sequoia trees on the site for which the new community is named.

Other noteworthy projects

Construction: Planned

• Renovations planned at former high school-turned senior living center in Hatfield, Pennsylvania.
• Affordable senior living and daycare center planned for Chantilly, Virginia.
• Storypoint Senior Living plans for an additional community in Portage, Michigan.
• Woodmont Senior Living community planned for Parsippany, New Jersey.
• Keystone Real Estate Group proposes AL community in Penn Township, Pennsylvania.

Construction: Complete

Grand opening set for The Landings in Little Rock, Arkansas.