Tucked into a secluded hillside, Sunrise Senior Living’s (McLean, Virginia) new project in Summit, New Jersey occupies a once underutilized site on the banks of the scenic Passic River. Here, the 62,500-square-foot community opens to 52 assisted living units and 28 memory care units with a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom options. The steel-framed building offers structured parking below for 44 vehicles.
Sunrise worked very closely with Lantz-Boggio Architects (Denver, Colorado) throughout the project focusing on positioning and ease-of-access regarding amenities. Key gathering sites such as the bistro, bistro lounge and dining room are arranged to take full advantage of river views, while also flooding space with plentiful daylight. High-end finishes, such wainscot paneling, vinyl wallcovering and wood crown molding, also adorn each space to provide a sense of home to residents.
From the common areas to various, multipurpose spaces, the residents can stay engaged on a multitude of levels throughout their stay. The expansive approach to natural lighting greatly contributes to resident wellbeing as creative seating options encourage and promote group engagements. These gathering spaces provide access to art, music and other tactile activities for residents, while the common areas also add in plenty of entertainment options through televisions and an in-house cinema.
Outside, the building itself is used to cradle a quiet dining terrace, which also overlooks the river. The building itself cradles an outdoor dining terrace, also overlooking the river. Historic exterior detailing, such as masonry jack arches and Flemish bond brick veneer, pays homage to the historic urban fabric of nearby downtown.
The entry is designated by a covered porte-cochère that leads visitors into a two-story grand foyer with decorative staircase. With laundry and general building services on the basement/garage level, the primary production kitchen is located on the ground floor to service both assisted living residents and memory care.
Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister site, Environments for Aging.
