SURPRISE, ARIZ., Jan. 22, 2015 — Dirt is being turned for Sun Health’s latest expansion project: two 36-unit villas on the 40-acre campus of The Colonnade, a senior living Life Care community that is home to more than 180 residents.
In late 2014, the Sun Health Board approved $25.4 million in capital funding to construct two new independent-living villas adjacent to two existing 36-unit villas at The Colonnade. The original villa, which opened in 2013, is fully occupied and the second, which opened in 2014, is nearly full. Demand for the two newest villas is already running high.
Nationally, the demand among older Americans for senior housing options is up according to a National Homebuilders 55+ Housing Market Index – a measure of builder confidence in the senior housing development market.
Growth in the senior population in the United States also is driving demand. According to census numbers, from 1980 to 2010 the number of Americans aged 65 and older expanded by 58 percent to a total of more than 40 million. Projections suggest that by 2025 this count will grow an additional 60 percent to 65 million.
The latest expansion at The Colonnade is beginning with the two villas, but ultimately it will include:
- A 24-unit assisted living unit (with shelled space for 24 additional apartments)
- Future plans for a 24-bed memory support residence
- An 8,000 sq. ft. resort-style clubhouse with dining venues, recreational amenities, meeting places and outdoor activities
- An improved main entrance to The Colonnade’s existing Pavilion, featuring more convenient resident and visitor pickup and drop off
“With the completion of this expansion, The Colonnade will feature more than 240 resort-style residences,” said Joe LaRue, executive vice president of Sun Health.
The Colonnade currently boasts 74 casitas, 72 villas and a 40,000 sq. ft. community facility containing dining venues, meeting space, a fitness center, an indoor pool and other amenities.
Construction on the two new villas is scheduled to be completed in early 2016. Deposits are now being taken on a first-come, first-served basis for the two new villas. For information, call (623) 236-3770.
The design-build team for the project consists of The Weitz Company (contractor); Orcutt-Winslow Partnership (architect); HilgartWilson (civil engineering); Thoma-Holec Design (interior design); and Greey Pickett (landscape design).
About Sun Health
A long-standing champion for healthy living, nonprofit Sun Health is a community-based health care organization providing “pathways to population health” through philanthropy, senior living, community health programs and superior health care. Sun Health Senior Living is the largest nonprofit Life Care provider in Arizona. Learn more at www.SunHealth.org.
