Senior/Assisted Living

Alexandria, VA – Benchmark Senior Living announced it is bringing its senior care and experiences to Virginia and the greater Washington, D.C. area for the frst time with a new assisted living and Mind & Memory Care community in Alexandria.

“This project is really exciting because not only is Benchmark expanding into a new market, but this community will be an integral part of a lively mixed-use development,” said Tom Grape, founder, chairman and CEO of Benchmark Senior Living. “Older adults will have the amenities of an urban campus, coupled with a unique, luxury-living experience.”

The development will be located in the center of Alexandria’s “West Alex,” which includes places for residents to walk, shop, and dine. Over 100,000sf of retail space features a Harris Teeter grocery store and Silver Diner.

The 10-story building will have 89 modern assisted living and 26 memory care apartments in various foor plans as well as spacious common areas with hospitality-rich amenities. A club room, casual bistro, wine tasting suite, penthouse level cafe and rooftop deck will feature social gatherings, educational events and other programs designed around residents’ interests. A wellness center will be home to on-site

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healthcare services, such as physician visits. The community will also feature chef-prepared, gourmet meals served in multiple dining venues, housekeeping and linen services, and scheduled transportation to appointments.

Benchmark at Alexandria is scheduled to open in 2024.

Sharon, MA – MassHousing has closed on 16.4 million in affordable housing fnancing to South Norfolk Elderly Housing Services, Inc. for the preservation and improvement of the 99-unit Stony Brook Court in Sharon. As part of the transaction, affordability protections for senior citizens living at the property will be extended for at least 39 years.

South Norfolk Elderly Housing Services has executed a new 20-year federal Section 8 Housing Assistance Payment contract for 98 one- bedroom apartments at the 2-story Stony Brook, which will include the 19 years remaining on the previous contract, for an overall extension of affordability of 39 years. There is an additional unit on the property for management staff.

Additionally, South Norfolk Elderly Housing Services will undertake approximately 3.4 million in property improvements, including repair and repainting of siding, replacement of windows and air-conditioning units, fre alarm and sprinkler system upgrades, the installation of a new emergency generator, and carpet replacement in apartments and common areas. Twenty apartments will be renovated, and fve apartments will receive accessibility upgrades.

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Stony Brook Court refnanced through MassHousing’s Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP)/Ginnie Mae oint Venture Initiative with lender partner Rockport Mortgage Corporation. “We’re very pleased to work with South Norfolk Elderly Housing Services, Peabody Properties, and MassHousing in refnancing and extending the affordability of Stony Brook Court,” noted Dan Lyons, president of Rockport Mortgage. “The location of property, close to both the Sharon Community Center and the Sharon Council on Aging, as well as other local amenities, is a real beneft for the senior citizens who call Stony Brook Court home.”

The property is managed by Peabody Properties.

By Michael Bartoloni

A combination of factors have contributed to the increase in mixed-use developments over the past decade. When designing for mixed-use, a number of considerations must be made to accommodate the needs of each tenant. Careful planning and communication with all stakeholders is vital to ensure the project stays on track and all requirements are met with no delays or ineffciencies.

Designing for a combination of residential, retail, education, healthcare, life science, or offce use involves responding to multiple varied interests, all located under one roof. The recent supply chain issues affecting virtually every stage in the design and construction process continue to affect material availability and timelines, further highlighting the importance of an organized and collective effort by all participants in keeping this type of complex project on time and on (or under) budget.

As a senior architectural hardware consultant at Campbell-McCabe Worldwide, LLC, I work with clients to create project estimates and submit proposals; provide expert counsel on door hardware alternatives and selection; and write technical specifcations, including code compliance, for new construction and renovation projects. This includes consultation/coordination with the security access control card reader consultant, and creation of door hardware specifcation sections including hollow metal doors and frames, wood doors, and integrated assemblies.

On a recent project for the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Ute and William K. Bowes, Jr. Center for Performing Arts, Campbell-McCabe worked with Mark Cavagnero Associates Architects to create “a social and cultural destination” that provides “visual and auditory access to the learning and making of music.” For this mixed-use project, the scope of work involved creating a variety of spaces that included housing suites, a cafe, student lounge, and performance areas that were accessible to the public. The variety of uses required pre-planning and constant attention focused on accessibility while at the same time prioritizing student comfort

an rancisco onser ator of usic’s te and Willia owes r enter for erfor ing rts Photos courtesy of Mark Cavagnero Associates Architects

and safety. I worked with the design team, the owner’s representative, and the security provider throughout the project construction administration phase to contribute consultation and technical documentation for door and security products, ensuring that all hardware specifed met their needs for design and quality while meeting code requirements for fre safety and ADA accessibility. The resulting 12-story, 170,000sf building fosters a greater public connection while providing spaces for students to live, practice, perform, and collaborate.

Security and access control is just one piece of an intricate composition of systems required for a successful build; it can create delays if not carefully considered early in the process. For example, systems such as security card readers must be integrated early in the project as they affect the associated wiring specifc to the opening. If not determined early in the design process, and correctly coordinated, many of the wires to these devices would be diffcult to conceal. Another example includes the accommodation of an existing master key system, which often requires additional time and coordination.

Having a security consultant on board from the beginning of the design process will ensure hardware is compatible with building systems and can be ordered (and arrive) in time for a timely installation, producing no delays in project completion. Prioritizing safety and security in the early stages of design and construction allows for the successful integration of appropriate systems and hardware into any mixeduse project, and ensures all stakeholders’ needs will be met and projects will remain on schedule and on budget. ichael artoloni is a senior architectural hardware consultant at a pbell c abe Worldwide