I hope the excitement swept you up if you were able to attend the Special Joint Town Hall of staff and residents where I was able to share how a new day is dawning for our Campus Community. It was standing room only in our Everett Luther Life Center and, for good reason, as we are assuring that our mission and purpose is firmly secure for the next 50 years as we break ground in November of this year on the first phase of our redevelopment plan. Dr. Nelson, and the Church of the Beatitudes, UCC had the courage to establish Beatitudes Campus 50 years ago, and 50 years later, we are talking about the next 50 years.
Let me start with the news that got the greatest ovation. A little before the coming New Year, the beloved old Garden Apartments are coming down. You have made it clear that this is one of your number one hopes for our community and I am pleased to finally be able to make this happen as part of our redevelopment plan. The Board and the Administration showed a lot of courage, as well as blood, sweat and tears in putting together this plan. Every process has been thought through, causing at least twelve variations of the plan over the last three years. The ultimate goal of the redevelopment is the renovating our vintage buildings—Plaza North and South, Plaza View and the Health Care Center as we expand to new living areas as well. The plan was taken and approved by the Board of Directors on June 18, 2018.
This master plan allows for five separate financings and decision points which will each involve Tax Exempt Financing. This assures there will be no financial burden to you, our residents. Changes in the market, economic outlook, etc., can be considered and changes made at each of the decision points. The plan will call for welcoming approximately 250 new residents and 70 new staff team members. It also allows for the renovation of Plaza North and South without the buildings being occupied—another aspect I was committed to figuring out so as to minimize any disruption to your lifestyles.
What you really want to know, though, what’s the timeline? Please keep in mind all of this is still subject to potentially significant changes.
Phase #1 includes the building of 34 new Patio Homes along Myrtle Avenue and 17th Drive, and the demolition of the Garden Apartments. This work will take 12 months, beginning in November of 2018 and being completed in October of 2019. To date, we have pre-leased 25 of the 34 homes to be built. That’s more than we needed to trigger our first financing.
Phase #2 consists of building 90 Courtyard Apartments where the Garden Apartments currently reside. The timeline runs from June of 2020 to December of 2021, a period of 19 months. Also, 132 new rental units will be built on the East side of the campus. This timeline runs from June of 2020 to November of 2021, a period of 18 months. Both buildings will have ground level parking space beneath them with apartments beginning on the second floor. In addition, the Plaza View and Plaza Bistro kitchens will be combined. This will take place from February of 2021 to December of 2021, a period of 11 months. This will be the main kitchen and the Town Plaza will host Buckwald’s Arizona Grille, Plaza Bistro, Elaine’s Fine Dining and a Coffee & Bar all as a one-stop experience of variety. Some of the other amenities currently in Town Plaza will move to other spaces, including the Nelson Administration Building and the new Courtyard Apartment homes.
Phase #3 includes the building of 54 more Courtyard Apartments from January of 2022 to March of 2023, a period of 15 months. In addition, the Plaza North Apartment Building will be completely renovated between December of 2021 and November of 2022, a period of 12months. Plaza North residents will be moved into the brand new East side rental units. I know you are wondering, but your monthly service fee will remain at the same rates you would expect if you had stayed in your old apartment.
Phase #4 consists of renovating the Plaza South Building into an Assisted Living Building. This will be accomplished between December of 2022 and November of 2023. This will greatly enlarge our Assisted Living space from 92 studio rooms to 130 assisted living apartments Plaza South residents will be moved into the newly renovated Plaza North Building. Again, your monthly service fee will remain at the same rates you would expect if you had stayed in your old apartment.
Phase #5 includes renovation of Plaza View to become the Health and Memory Center. This work will be done from January of 2024 to November of 2024, a period of 11 months. We will be expanding our early memory support program from 29 to 48 rooms. Once complete, residents living in the Health Care Center will be relocated to the significantly renovated Health and Memory Center. Also, the renovation of the 3rd and 4th floors of the Health Care Center into Administration Space will be accomplished between November of 2024 and May of 2025, a period of 7 months. The first two floors of the Health Care Center will be utilized for resident amenities if needed.
This is a historic time in the life of Beatitudes Campus. Over 50 years ago, Dr. Culver Nelson and the Church of the Beatitudes, United Church of Christ, had a vision that called for courage, risk, faith and commitment to see that vision become a reality that would one day make life better for the people it served. Today that same spirit of courage, risk, faith and commitment to a this vision will assure that the next 50 years will continue to be everything that Beatitudes Campus’ long held mission, values and purpose has been about since day one. If there was a time when that was in question (and there was), I am proud to say that such a time is no more. A new day is dawning for Beatitudes Campus.*
