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Page 20 — Health Care Properties Quarterly — July 2017
Senior Housing & Care
1997 FLASHBACK
World Population: 5,898,688,337 • Titanic, Jurassic
Park, and Men in Black were the three biggest films
of the year • First DVD players arrive on the market
in the U.S. • South Park premiered as the most
controversial show on television • The Spice Girls
were the biggest pop group in the world • The
Backstreet Boys made their debut with breakout hit
“Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” • Teletubbies
made its debut—much to the annoyance of
parents everywhere • The first book in the Harry
Potter series, Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling
was published • Steve Jobs returns to run Apple
Computers • Mars Pathfinder lands on the surface
of Mars • YAHOO! Mail was launched on the 8th
of October • Tiger Woods becomes the youngest
golfer to win the Masters at 21 • The Green Bay
Packers win Super Bowl XXXI for the first time since
1967 • The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes
above 8,000 for the first time • ”Simpsons” becomes
longest-running animated series in cartoon history.
CHEERS TO 20 YEARS!
As we celebrate our 20th year in business, an
enormous amount of humility accompanies the pride
we feel for all that we have accomplished since
Catamount started in 1997.
Our team has worked in 49 states (still looking for
our first job to take us to Hawaii!) and we have three
fantastic regional offices with great reputations that
have earned top 25 GC rankings in all three cities.
The statistic that we are proudest of is our 80%
repeat client ratio. It has been a pleasure working
with you year-after-year. We owe our success to
your trust in our team.
THANK YOU for 20 great years!
20
25
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B uilding senior living communi-
ties relies on adherence to a
stringent set of requirements
in order to comply with state
and federal building codes and
licensing, as well as to create spaces
that are comfortable while being pri-
vate and secure.
When choosing sites for senior liv-
ing residences, designers and archi-
tects often collaborate with develop-
ers and operators on new out-of-
the-ground construction, often in
suburban or less densely populated
areas with space for construction. If
the desire is to construct a commu-
nity in an established neighborhood,
the only option may be to convert an
existing building. Potential buildings
for a conversion could include for-
mer office buildings, retail stores or
medical facilities.
Because many cities are expe-
riencing rapid population growth
and subsequent development, more
developers are seeking buildings
that they can repurpose and con-
vert to senior living residences. Our
senior living practice has devised
a series of adaptive reuse tips for
selecting the best existing spaces for
senior living residences, taking into
account the building’s location and
community integration, the build-
ing’s condition, and its existing lay-
out and utilities.
Choose the Right Location
Successful site selection has a lot
to do with location. Because there
aren’t many undeveloped multi-acre
sites available in urban or dense
areas, more senior living developers
and operators are choosing to repur-
pose older buildings that originally
were built with a
separate purpose in
mind.
Community
integration is key,
and a successful
senior living resi-
dence often will be
complemented
by what’s located
around it, since
conversion sites
may not always be
located in areas
conducive to senior
living. Ideal loca-
tions usually include a mixed-use
environment within walking distance
containing a grocery store, restau-
rants and retail. Buildings in indus-
trial areas or office parks may be less
convenient, feel more isolated and
have safety concerns for the resi-
dents.
Depending on the acuity level of
residents, a location close to exist-
ing medical care facilities often
outweighs the proximity to retail
and grocery stores. Independent liv-
ing residents may be more drawn to
amenities like retail and restaurants,
while assisted living will benefit more
from proximity to medical facilities.
An ideal building for a conversion
might include multiple services on
the first floor, such as retail shops,
restaurants and even medical offices,
with the opportunity for conversion
to residential apartments above.
Consider the Building’s Condition
When looking at an existing build-
ing that may be converted, there are
several things to look for to keep the
conversion financially viable. Care
should be taken to verify that the
building’s structural system is in good
shape, and can support loads for
common areas and amenity spaces.
A conversion will also trigger code
updates that could include fire ratings
of structure and walls, fire sprinkler
updates and egress compliance.
Converting an existing building can
be efficient compared to building
from the ground up, however, some
buildings have to be renovated so
extensively that they pass the break-
ing point of being worthwhile. Care
should be taken early in the selection
process to verify the building has the
components necessary to make a
conversion successful.
Assess the Building’s Structure
There are a few key components
that are important to think about
when converting an existing building
to a senior living residential commu-
nity. First, consider the floor-to-floor
height. There should be about suf-
ficient height between each floor to
constitute an effective living space.
Converting older buildings may pres-
ent challenges with ceilings that are
too low, while converting warehouse
spaces may present challenges with
ceilings that are too high.
Likewise, be sure to pay attention
to the building’s windows. Office
buildings or former retail space with
floor-to-ceiling windows may need to
be renovated to a more homelike set-
ting. It’s better to find buildings with
punched opening windows, ideally
spacing that works well with bed-
room and living room dimensions.
If the building is multiple stories,
consideration should be given to the
size of an existing elevator. Senior
living communities often provide an
elevator capable of carrying a stretch-
er, and an existing building may not
have a big enough elevator cab. Some
multiple-story buildings do not have
an elevator, and a retrofit to put one
in may prove too costly.
Consider Existing Utilities and
Equipment
It’s also important to take a look at
the existing utilities, such as water,
gas and electrical service. Consider
that an office building probably has a
few central restrooms and low water
demand, while a residential building
will have higher daily water usage.
Converting a building into individual
apartments and adding a commer-
cial kitchen will increase the water
demand, and an increase in water tap
size may be required.
Similarly, the existing gas and elec-
tric infrastructure may affect the suc-
cess of a conversion to a residential
use. Many office buildings already
have high electric uses, but an engi-
neer should verify the power capacity
based on the intended program for
the community. The gas service may
need to be increased with the addi-
tion of a commercial kitchen or addi-
tional HVAC equipment.
It is becoming harder to find sites of
the right size without looking farther
away from established neighborhoods
and urban cities.While architects
and designers may find challenges in
converting buildings to senior living
residences that were previously used
for office or retail, the benefits can be
many, including integrating seniors
into the fold of urban communities,
as well as choosing to follow the sus-
tainable practice of adaptive reuse.s
Jami
Mohlenkamp
Principal, OZ
Architecture,
Denver