A recently completed $1.4 million expansion and renovation provides more dining options to residents at Friendship Village Tempe senior living community in Tempe, Ariz. The project, which was completed in March 2014, includes the brand-new Village Café; a renovated, upscale restaurant called The Fireside; and more carryout options for residents.
Friendship Village Tempe worked with RSP Architects, also of Tempe, to design the spaces. While physical space and venues were a large focus of the project, Friendship Village Tempe also wanted to create a space that would make it easy to bring fresh food options to residents. The dining expansion allows the community to feature pasta, cioppino, paella, curry bowls and Mongolian wok-style dishes, among others. A hearth oven in the Village Café also allows for pot pies, lasagna, and flatbreads, and a flex station features concepts such as sub sandwiches and burritos that are made to order.
In addition to dining features, a technology nook was constructed near the Village Café. Charging stations allow for smartphones, tablets, and laptops to be plugged in at any time, and they can be connected to the high-speed Wi-Fi offered throughout the space. This space is available for meetings of resident-led committees and includes a whiteboard wall, flat-screen TV, and an Apple Airplay device that allows anyone to project their device onto the screen.
A significant project challenge was to keep the dining venues open as much as possible throughout construction so as not upset the daily routines of residents. Friendship Village Tempe kept residents and staff informed of project updates, and Plexiglas was used to block off the construction areas, while also allowing everyone to watch the progress unfold.
