Covenant Place (St. Louis), an affordable senior living community, launched a three-phase master redevelopment plan to replace its functionally obsolete buildings with new, energy-efficient and accessible unit buildings and add an on-site comprehensive wellness center to allow residents to age in place.
Phase 1 included new construction of 101, one-bedroom independent living units that was completed in 2016. Phase 2, constructed adjacent to the phase 1 project, included a second new building, called the Cahn Family Building, that features 102, one-bedroom independent living units and a 20,000-square-foot community wellness center, the Mirowitz Center. The phase 2 project opened in summer 2019.
A market study, conducted before the start of this multiphased project, documented more than 16,000 senior adults age 65+ live within a three-mile radius of the campus, designating the area as a naturally occurring retirement community. The goal of the new Covenant Place phase 2 expansion was to serve the area’s growing senior population.
The independent living apartments are designed to enable residents to age in place. Bathrooms provide adequate room for transfer from a mobility device to shower seats, and all apartments are pre-wired for visual smoke alarms to accommodate residents with hearing loss. Lighting is designed for aging eyes with both overhead and task lighting. Gathering spaces with lounge seating and card tables encourage social interaction and a landscaped outdoor courtyard includes walking paths and raised planting beds to enable residents to garden and socialize.
The Mirowitz Center, located on the first floor of the Cahn Family Building, houses a hub of wellness services, including medical and therapy services; a café; fitness; and social, legal, and financial services. Two large activity rooms and a multipurpose room house a range of programs as well as social activities for the community. Together, the center offers both residents and the surrounding senior population resources to help them live active and independent lives while staying close to home.
A third phase is currently being planned and will include a renovation of 150 existing independent living units on campus along with the construction of a new community clubhouse.
Project details:
Facility name: Covenant Place II Cahn Family Building & Mirowitz Center
Location: St. Louis
Completion date: June 2019
Owner: Covenant Place
Total building area: 111,700 sq. ft.
Total construction cost: $22 million
Cost/sq. ft.: $196.56/sq. ft.
Architecture firm: Lawrence Group
Interior design: Lawrence Group and Architextures
General contractor/builder: BSI Constructors
Engineering: Grimes Consulting (civil), Strand Systems Engineering (structural), G&W Engineering (MEP), Landscape Technologies (landscape architect)
