Westminster is an upscale, full-service life care community located in Austin, Texas. Founded in 1967, the community was the first to introduce upscale retirement living to Austin by combining private apartment homes with 24-hour, on-site health care.
Westminster recently sought to reposition the community with a new five-story building able to provide multiple levels of premium, high-quality care to its residents. The Phase II renovations were completed in February 2013, and the expanded community now offers two floors of residential independent living, along with the Arbour Health Center, which includes three floors of specialized assisted living, skilled nursing services, and dedicated memory care.
Westminster’s interior design team, Faulkner Design Group, and architecture firm Perkins+Will designed Westminster to offer a more holistic living experience for residents, their families, and employees. New common areas include an indoor pool, exercise room and yoga studio, art room, walking loop, café, and new auditorium, along with spaces for dining, relaxing, and social gatherings. Faulkner Design Group’s Adrienne Faulkner included framed giclées of the University of Texas campus, which was originally designed by her grandfather, renowned architect George L. Dahl.
There were challenges during construction to work within the existing lot, and to maximize housing space while incorporating the right mix of apartments, amenities, and specialized services. Westminster now has almost double its residential capacity, and can house 475 residents in two buildings comprising 357,929 square feet of space.
The repositioned community recently moved from a four-star to a five-star CMS rating, and has received a Three-Star Austin Energy Green Building rating (equivalent to LEED Silver certification) for LEED and sustainable design.
Some of the sustainable improvements and green practices implemented at Westminster include Energy Star-rated appliances; low-flow fixtures, storm water runoff controls, and improved irrigation methods; natural lighting and full cutoff fixtures to reduce indoor lighting and lighting pollution; and enhanced use of on-site public transportation, as well as electric car-charging stations.
