A groundbreaking ceremony was scheduled for today at the Wartburg adult care community in Mount Vernon for the Berkemeier Living Center. The new building is to have a total of 64 beds with 32 of them in single suites. The facility is designed to provide resources and support for those affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia.
In addition to living facilities for residents, the plan calls for gathering spaces such as sunrooms and a first floor communal lobby and gallery space where there are plans to have displays about Wartburg”™s past.
The building will be LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. Wartburg says that attaining LEED certification signifies that a building is exemplary in conserving energy, lowering operating costs and being healthy for occupants.
In June 2021, Wartburg had received approval for the facility from the Mount Vernon Planning Board. The Rev. Dr. G. C. Berkemeier served as director of the original Wartburg Orphan”™s Farm School from 1885 to 1921.
