Branding, relevancy, and differentiation constantly challenge senior living communities as they adapt to meet the evolving needs and preferences of a sophisticated demographic. While maintaining or elevating market position requires strategic thinking for any organization, historic communities often deal with added pressures and considerations, such as the age of structures and mechanical systems and a more involved approvals process required from historic preservation commissions.
Milwaukee’s Eastcastle Place (ECP) has a 139-year history of providing quality senior living care and services to residents and the community. Originally founded as the Milwaukee Protestant Home in 1884, the continuing care retirement community (CCRC), which offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing, moved to its current urban site on the east side of Milwaukee in 1892.
Initially, Henry C. Koch, a prominent Milwaukee architect designed a large house for 50 residents. Over the years, the organization continued to expand and grow, acquiring adjacent lots and addressing multiple additions and subtractions to buildings. In 1984, the community was declared a historic preservation site.
Most recently, ECP embarked on a strategic planning effort to identify goals and objectives, such as additional independent living units, wellness offerings, intellectual programming, and elevated dining program to meet market demands.
Master planning for CCRCs
A future-focused master planning initiative followed to determine how the physical plan could support the desired updates and growth and the financial projections for the endeavor. The healthcare components also received thoughtful enhancements to support staff efficiencies and improve the supportive living experience.
The CCRC worked with LCS Development (Des Moines, Iowa), AG Architecture (Wauwatosa, Wis.), and RDG Planning & Design (St. Louis, Mo.) to identify key factors to remain competitive in the market. Planning decisions were driven by the need for places to gather, socialize, and engage in wellness-focused activities.
“There was a need to deliver healthcare more efficiently for both staff and residents, which led to renovating and moving all healthcare operations into one building, says Tyler Gudex, executive director of Eastcastle Place. “Further, we needed amenities for today’s seniors to enjoy, like a classroom dedicated to lecture series, new art studio, pub, and bistro, and a renovated first in-class wellness center and pool—all to promote the active and healthy living that Eastcastle Place residents enjoy.”
Mapping out a phased plan
Due to the historic status of the campus, all of the project drawings and work required approvals from the Milwaukee Historic Preservation Commission in addition to the typical city agencies. Specific details, like the windows and resident room balconies, required design and material modifications to meet the committee’s approval.
In order to implement the desired changes to the historic campus, the design and development team worked with contractor CG Schmidt (Milwaukee, Wis.) to coordinate a multiphase renovation. Working within the tight urban site while maintaining effective operations required the breakdown of construction into a series of phases.
The project began in spring 2022 with the consolidation of healthcare services. Specifically, the CCRC’s assisted living and memory support units located in Watertower, the southernmost building on campus, were relocated to Bradford Terrace on the western edge of the site. This relocation effort included renovations to update communal living and dining spaces and streamline services, such as one dedicated salon instead of two. Staff support areas also received attention, including a new breakroom and offices to consolidate administrative functions.
Next, the now-vacant space in the Watertower building was reconfigured into 17 two-bedroom apartments and 13 one-bedroom apartments for independent living residents. Transitioning a four-story building designed specifically for assisted living and modifying it for larger independent units while working within the existing structural systems resulted in nine unique floor plan options. Combining units allowed the team to take advantage of the best views and create some apartments with outdoor access. The units were designed to compete with newer communities in the area, with increased square footage, tiled showers, large walk-in closets, dedicated living and dining spaces, double ovens, fireplaces, large windows, and, in some cases, balconies.
Updated amenity mix
In order to retain its position in the market and compete with newer communities with contemporary designs, a key component of the campus plan was updating finishes and amenities to support an active, wellness-focused lifestyle. For example, the renovation of Watertower provided the opportunity to integrate new amenity destinations on each resident floor, such as an art room, library, lounge, theater, and gathering areas. Additionally, the main commons area was redesigned with a more open concept, updated décor, and new amenities.
Resident feedback influenced the mix of amenities and played a key role in the design direction for these spaces. For example, the 1884 pub was added to the main commons, conveniently
located adjacent to the kitchen and the formal restaurant, The Gilman. The setup creates a hub of activity throughout the day and responds to elevated dining standards across the senior living industry. The pub also provides a dedicated lunch venue, which creates staff efficiencies, reducing the need to reset The Gilman, while adding a happy hour spot to the dinner experience.
An updated aesthetic was created to guide changes and updates while honoring the campus’ history. “Every design detail was carefully considered to be warm and inviting and evoke what we refer to for the project as ‘Today’s Traditional,’” says Kelley Hoffman, senior partner at RDG Planning & Design. This translated into the use of rust and coral tones to lend warmth to a neutral color palette and bronze and brushed-brass metal tones for items like railings and decorative lighting. Furthermore, furniture selections leaned toward a traditional style, yet featured updated and cleaner lines, such as wingback chairs in the lobby. Classic fabric patterns, such as tweeds, herringbones and rich leathers, complete the refined palette.
Lessons learned
The multiphase renovation challenged the team and demanded a high level of commitment to reach the finish line. As the community ponders future phases, lessons learned along the way serve as guideposts and provide valuable insights to other organizations embarking on comprehensive plans to elevate the senior living experience. “Have a contingency plan for your contingency plan,” says Gudex. “Remodels are often prone to changes that no one can expect and the problem-solving can take time.”
In addition to the time it takes to address unexpected issues, remodels on historic campuses require more time for approvals, which adds steps to the project process.
Keeping residents informed and engaged goes a long way to boosting morale when dealing with the inconvenience of living amid a remodel. During the Eastcastle project, leadership met regularly with residents and the contractor invited residents to “coffee and donut update hours.” Windows in construction walls allowed residents and staff to take peeks at progress, as well.
Additionally, consistent communication and thorough documentation help keep team members on the same page with short-term and long-term goals and how decisions and selections relate to both as the project progresses. “Patience and flexibility are important throughout this process,” says Gudex.
John Cronin, AIA, is senior design architect at AG Architecture (Wauwatosa, Wis.) and can be reached at [email protected]. Hailey Schwobe, AIA, is senior associate at AG Architecture and can be reached at [email protected].
For more on this topic, find the authors speaking with a panel in the session “138 Years and Counting—How a Historic Campus Maintains Distinction” at the 2024 EFA Conference + Expo, April 13-16 in Atlanta. For more details, visit environmentsforaging.com.
