From the massive dirt mounds to the concrete foundation to the skeletons of structure, the Village at Belmar senior living facility is rising out of the the once vacant nine-acre site across from Belmar and Lakewood City Commons.
And it's drawing attention.
"Because it's a you-can't-miss-it construction project near one of the metro area's busiest intersections, we get calls and emails about the project on an almost daily basis," Nanette Neelan, Lakewood's economic development director and deputy city manager, wrote in an email interview. "Of course, the three-story building on Alameda attracts a lot of peoples' attention."
Village at Belmar is a premium senior living, 156 residential-unit project with 60 independent living and 96 memory care and assisted living units. The independent living flats will be in units separate from the memory care to increase the feeling of individuality for residents.
According to information provided by Stacie Oulton, Lakewood's public information officer, Lakewood is one of the oldest cities in the region covered by the Denver Regional Council of Governments. The senior population is expected to increase by 78 percent by 2025, according to the Community Assessment Survey of Older Adults in 2015 performed for DRCOG.So, by 2025, seniors will make up 31 percent of Lakewood's population.
"Having a range of housing options for older adults is extremely important because this segment of our population is going to grow significantly in the coming years," said Dawn Sluder, Lakewood's older adult and transportation supervisor. "Many older adults won't be able to maintain their single-family homes, and they will need places that are close to stores, doctors, transportation and other services they need. That kind of housing will help older adults live independently."
The developer of the Village at Belmar is Ascent Living Communities, based in Colorado.
"We were returning from a project in Steamboat Springs, drove by that site and saw that it was for sale," said Thomas Finley, a founder and principal of Ascent Living. "We couldn't ask for a better location, and love the Belmar area and Lakewood market."
In particular, Ascent Living was looking for a large site near a lot of activity and development, which make Belmar and City Commons the perfect fit.
"Ultimately, it's about quality of life for our residents," said Phillip Shapiro, one of Ascent Living's founders and principals. "In addition to everything residents will have access to within walking distance, there are so many features we're integrating into our facility designs."
One reason Ascent wanted to build near a high-activity area is because of the adult children of many seniors and retirees. By putting their facility in the kind of place younger people are more likely to visit, it becomes easier to involve younger people in their parents' lives, Shapiro explained.
Ascent is implementing a new care philosophy at Village at Belmar called Meaningful Connections, which promotes the wellness of all residents through "deep connections" between associates and residents, and residents and each other.
"We're still developing exactly what the program will entail and can be for our residents," said Susie Reimer, founder and executive vice president of Ascent Living. "We're looking at everything that falls under wellness --; from outdoor activity and recreation to culinary areas."
The facility wants to be a place at which students and local organizations can volunteer. Shapiro said the Village has a partnership with the University of Colorado at Denver that will allow students to intern at the facility and residents to participate in the school's classes.
The project is scheduled to be completed in February and is already hosting events for potential residents.
"This is going to be like the Caesar's Palace of retirement communities," said Hope Thomas, community relations coordinator with the Village. "I always think about whether or not I would want to bring my own parents to a place, and I definitely would here."
from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Belmars-new-senior-facility-taking-shape,229391
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