Dallas and West Des Moines, IA-based Lifespace Communities broke ground last week on a $112 million expansion project at Oak Trace, a continuing care retirement community in Downers Grove, IL.
The investment follows the $72 million that the organization spent on construction to completely rebuild the CCRC in 2019.
“The old health center was torn down, and a whole new independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing was built,” Andy Kazmierczak, executive director of Oak Trace, told the McKnight’s Business Daily. The construction added more common areas for residents as well, he said.
The CCRC expansion will add 145 independent living units to the existing community, bringing the total from 232 to 377. The campus also includes 66 assisted living units, 28 memory care units and 104 skilled nursing units.
Although the project is not expected to be completed until next year, Kazmierczak said, “a number of people have already signed up for the expansion and have picked apartments already.”
In addition to the added residential units, the CCRC expansion will include a clubhouse featuring a fitness center, pool, salon, casual dining venue, café seating, a multipurpose room, a living room and a new lobby. The clubhouse will connect the older building with the newly constructed independent living units, Kazmierczak said.
“We’re really excited to bring amenities to our current residents and also future residents that will be moving into new apartments,” he said.
Kazmierczak said that the community offers a variety of programs, including exercise and wellness programs, musical performers, historical performers and educational programs.
“We try to bring a lot of different opportunities to our residents,” he said.
