A senior living community that can be traced to a concept first voiced in 2003, but which has not yet broken ground, already has residents lined up for 60% of its planned 220 units. The project is Broadview-Senior Living at Purchase College, a 40-acre neighborhood to be built at an estimated cost of $320 million on the 500-acre campus.
The entity identified as the developer is LCS/SCD Partners LLC. The sponsor is identified as Purchase Senior Living Community Inc., a nonprofit set up by the college to develop a senior living community. Iowa-based Life Care Services, an established manager of senior living communities, is shown as manager of the project and is handling the marketing.
“When projects like these retirement communities are built, they”™re often done like this with what we call a pre-launch. Before construction is even started, the concept, both design of the physical structure as well as a full program of what will be offered, are well-documented so we are able to market this idea to older adults looking for their retirement plan,” Ashley Wade, Broadview”™s director of marketing, told the Business Journal.
Wade said that the marketing has been underway for two years and much of it now is being done virtually because of Covid. Broadview has created virtual reality presentations that can be viewed by prospects using virtual reality headsets or online on home computers or other devices.
“They look at the location and orientation within the community itself, if they want a first floor or a fourth floor or if they want a west-facing balcony or an east-facing patio, whatever it is that strikes their fancy, they choose their exact residence,” Wade said.
“We won”™t even build-out a 3D model because the virtual reality experience is so superlative. I do think this market is sophisticated and they appreciate it and are not intimidated by the technology. They enjoy the opportunity to really get a feel for what these residences are going to look and feel like.”
Wade said that they have been taking deposits of 10% of the entry fees to hold units for people planning to move to Broadview. She also said that the deposits are fully refundable if plans change. She said the deposits are held in escrow at a bank in White Plains and the person receives 2% interest on the money for the duration of time between when it”™s posted and they take occupancy. In addition to the entry fee, there is a monthly charge for living at Broadview.
“I always say it”™s a risk-free investment in themselves because it allows them to make this investment in their future, but it has one heck of a good escape hatch,” Wade said. “We”™ll be in position to break ground this summer and the expected build-out will be about 18 months.”
She said that while the offering plan does provide notice that more than the 220 units planned are allowed there are no current plans to go beyond that number and move to a second phase. The state has approved building up to 385 units on the college campus.
The initiative to create housing for senior citizens on the SUNY Purchase campus can be attributed to Thomas J. Schwarz, former president of SUNY Purchase. Not only did he lead development of the concept, he helped achieve necessary approvals from the state government that would allow a portion of the campus to be used for such a development.
“Having the senior learning community on campus will lead to a creative synergy between youth and experience, fostering an alliance of energy and wisdom that benefits everyone,” Schwarz was quoted in a Business Journal article as having said about the proposal.
The senior residents would be encouraged to continue their learning experiences and also take advantage of the college”™s cultural opportunities such as events at the Performing Arts Center and exhibitions at the Neuberger Museum of Art.
A “learning commons” would feature seminar rooms, performance and exhibition space, a computer lab and art studios. Additional amenities for residents would include multiple dining venues, a movie theater, pool, fitness center, spa and salon.
Legislation allowing Purchase College to go ahead with leasing some of its land for senior living was approved by the state Legislature in 2008 but was vetoed by Gov. David Paterson. A 2011 bill was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, allowing the school to lease about 40 acres to its nonprofit Purchase College Advancement Corp.
By law, three-quarters of the money the college receives from the project must go toward scholarships with the rest going toward hiring full-time faculty members.
Residents moving into Broadview are required to be at least 62 years old. The apartment mix will include 174 one- and two-bedroom units with underground reserved parking and an additional 46 two-bedroom units with attached two-car garages. Twenty percent of the units have been designated as affordable and Westchester County residents will receive priority for half of those.
Broadview will be on the southwest portion of the 500-acre campus. About 10 acres of the site will be dedicated as open space, with trails and outdoor activity space for the residents and students. The law that approved using some of the campus for senior housing required the school to designate 80 acres on another part of campus as permanent open space.
The general contractor for Broadview is Whiting-Turner, which has more than 50 locations in the U.S., including a White Plains office. The architect is Hord Coplan Macht of Baltimore. Merlino Design Partnership, with offices in Philadelphia and Orlando, is the interior designer. The landscape architect is MKW+Associates LLC of Rutherford, New Jersey. The civil engineer for the project is Divney Tung Schwalbe and the law firm is DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkher, both in White Plains.
