81 Oaks Senior Living, Sarasota, Florida: Photo Tour

Situated on a master-planned campus in Sarasota, Fla., the independent living, assisted living, and memory care community is designed to foster intergenerational connections.
Published: February 27, 2024
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81 Oaks Senior Living, Sarasota, Florida

81 Oaks LLC (Sarasota, Fla.) celebrated the completion of Phase 1 at 81 Oaks Senior Living in Sarasota, Fla.

The new independent living, assisted living, and memory care community is seamlessly integrated into an intergenerational master-plan community campus that includes a K-8th grade charter school, 3,000-member inclusive church, auditorium, basketball court, and park.

The project team for the $22 million, 108,000-square-foot project includes architecture firm Lawson Group Architects (LGA; Sarasota), interior design firm Shiftt (Tampa, Fla.), and codeveloper N21 Group (Sarasota).

A future second phase will add more independent living units, and Phase 3 will deliver 58 single-story villas, a lakeside recreation center with community pool and deck, and a large clubhouse with fitness center.

Intergenerational living for seniors

Phase 1 includes a 108,000-square-foot building comprising the residential units and a centrally located single-story resort center with multiple dining venues, a bistro, activity areas, library, painting studio, wellness center, theater, spa, and game rooms.

81 Oaks is placed in the most visible spot on the entire campus and is directly seen by everyone who visits the larger campus. The students attending the school are directly adjacent to 81 Oaks throughout the day, creating a seamless connection between the senior housing and the school.

The resort center focuses on the larger community connection with the church and school and provides a “front door” for 81 Oaks Senior Living residents to its neighbors.

More than 100 large mature oak trees dominate the site, which is conveniently located with easy access to the highway and medical facilities. Exterior architectural materials and detailing are reminiscent of historical resort lodges and include traditional lap siding, stone veneer accents, brick pavers, historically accurate windows, and heavy timber trusses.

Biophilic design strategies

Biophilic design principles including abundant natural landscaping, water features, sustainable finishes and furnishings, and enhanced indoor air quality and ventilation are incorporated throughout the community to create a healthy environment for staff and residents.

Natural light floods the interiors of the community, while large windows frame views to the community’s natural setting. Landscaped grounds provide a park-like setting.

81 Oaks Senior Living, Sarasota, Florida, project details

Location: Sarasota, Fla.

Completion date: April 2023

Owner: 81 Oaks LLC

Total building area: 108,000 sq. ft.

Total construction cost: $22 million

Cost/sq. ft.: $203/sq. ft.

Architect: Lawson Group Architects

Interior designer: Shiftt

General contractor: J P Wiseman

Engineers: MPS (electrical), Crawford Williams (MPF), Wilson Structural (structural)

Builder: J P Wiseman

Project details are provided by the design team and not vetted by Environment for Aging.

Strategy & Planning Series
Strategy & Planning Series
Strategy & Planning Series
Strategy & Planning Series
Strategy & Planning Series
Strategy & Planning Series