During the 2022 EFA Conference + Expo, April 2-5 in Milwaukee, author Daniel King, principal and senior living practice leader at the Meyer Senior Living Studio, and Shannon Remaley, principal, senior living practice leader at Meyer Senior Living Studio, will present the session, “E31- The Next Chapter: Adaptive Reuse Conversions into Senior Living Communities,” at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 5. Here’s a preview of their session.
While demand for senior housing is growing, a lack of available land, paired with rising land costs and speed to market concerns, has created challenges to solving this issue. One option worthy of consideration is adaptive reuse, which can be an effective strategy for optimizing the operational and commercial performance of an existing underperforming asset and can provide a higher and better use for the local community where it’s located. Imagine transforming a distressed hotel, abandoned school, or underutilized or vacant office building into a more dynamic and creative function such as a vibrant and thriving senior living community.
From a design perspective, adaptive reuse requires a strategy that establishes the relationship between the original architecture and the new while informing the order and program of the building. Building reuse can fall under three categories: intervention, insertion, and installation. These categories range in the level of work required. For example, intervention techniques create a space that seamlessly combines the previous architecture with the new and employs a “form follows form” approach, such as using a former hotel’s pool as a the pool room of a senior living community.
Insertion techniques also aim to establish a strong relationship between old and new architecture but allow for the new and old elements to retain their own strong character. For example, instead of hiding or eliminating the original structural and architectural features of the existing building, a project team should consider enhancing them with new modern finishes, brighter contemporary lighting, and new millwork to support the functionality of the new spaces.
Alternately, installation techniques do not focus on integration; rather the celebration of the juxtaposition between the old and new architecture is used as a design approach to create intrigue and an enhanced spatial experience. This technique can be seen in historic buildings that were designed 100-plus years ago, such as a restaurant moving into old bank or church buildings. In senior living design, new active spaces that serve as hospitality destinations are designed into open spaces without interfering with the existing spatial parameters or materials of the original space.
Important considerations
When embarking on an adaptive reuse project for a senior living community, the first question should always be, “Is this building appropriate for seniors?” Some structures, no matter how much money is invested into them, will not provide the proper environment or accessibility that seniors need to function and flourish in a healthy manner.
It’s also important for prospective buyers to initiate an environmental study to better understand what might be hidden in old walls or behind 20-year-old wallcoverings. Having open communication with the local building department is also vital, as staff can provide valuable insight, including historical knowledge of the building and features and where a project might encounter pitfalls, such as new pool safety requirements and sprinkler coverages.
Another important consideration is navigating building and life safety codes to determine which code should be used for the project. Hiring a third-party inspector or engineer to do a full building evaluation, including an environmental inspection can help determine the state of the property and the appropriate code for the project. For example, selecting the International Building Code (IBC) or the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) depends on the level of renovation planned and on the percentage of the building that’s going to be altered.
Upgrade opportunities
While creating a new function for existing buildings through adaptive reuse, it’s also important to focus on improving the resident experience. For example, unit fit-outs can take a degree of coordination with existing building systems and guidance from a contractor. For the conversion of a Marriott Residence Inn to The Residences at Plainview, an independent living community in Plainview, N.Y., Meyer Senior Living Studio (Ardmore, Pa.) had to add laundry closets, which required additional power, plumbing, and drainage. Understanding early on where these utilities would be installed was key to creating a smooth renovation.
Additionally, many units were studios and had to be combined to become one and two bedrooms, while kitchenettes were mainly kept as-is with minor touch-ups or slight modifications to accommodate new wall ovens.
Lighting is another significant element that can be used to upgrade and enhance the environment of an existing building. Because many older buildings were designed using incandescent fixtures, making the switch to LEDs can not only reduce a building’s energy consumption but can add various levels of brightness, which can aid seniors who may be suffering from vision impairment.
New chapter
Repurposing existing buildings into new senior living communities can be an attractive alternative to new construction. Aside from providing an option to new construction, adaptive reuse allows a place’s architectural history—and an important part of its story—to remain, creating a new chapter in a building and a local community’s narrative.
Daniel King is principal and senior living practice leader at the Meyer Senior Living Studio (Ardmore, Pa.). He can be reached at [email protected].
For more information and to register for the 2022 EFA Conference, visit environmentsforaging.com.
