June 21, 2007
South Franklin Circle to offer premier lifestyle community near Chagrin Falls
BY KATHRYN RIDDLE
The vision for South Franklin Circle, the premier lifestyle community under the auspices of Judson Services, began a dozen years ago, said Cynthia Dunn, president and ceo of Judson that last year celebrated a century of offering the highest caliber care and living options for older adults. The board, said Ms. Dunn, “looked at over 40 sites over a couple of years before settling on this particular site, roughly 90 acres in the Chagrin Valley. It met our ‘wish list’ that included things like access to other amenities; we wanted ‘green’ for outdoor features like gardening, opportunities for walking, biking and cross country skiing trails. South Franklin Circle offers both geographic and product diversity to retain and attract people to Northeast Ohio. We were aware of people who knew us and loved the work that we do, but wanted a semi-rural environment or a different product in terms of a cottage or low-rise apartment.”
Joyce Douglas, South Franklin Circle Project Manager Bill Fehrenbach, Sales
and
Marketing Director Donna D’Amico and Bill Douglas gathered at the
Design Center for a meeting. (Photograph by Kathryn Riddle)
Eighty percent of the acreage will always remain green, she said. “It
will never be built out of bigger than it is planned; we’re not giving
up this semi-rural area.”
“South Franklin Circle is a different model with all the emphasis on life-style
programming, such as the wonderful health and wellness programs, learning
and creative arts opportunities,” she said, “programs that help people
take advantage of the Chagrin Valley, the village of Chagrin Falls. We promise
daily transportation to University Circle because we believe strongly in
our ties there and want to make it accessible and convenient.”
While the focus for South Franklin Circle is on the well-being programs that statistically improve the odds of people maintaining and keeping their health, certainly the health safety net is available through on-campus assisted living options, short term and rehabilitative services and an on-site clinic, all conveniently provided by trained staff and professionals.
The word ‘retirement’ is not used to describe either South Franklin
Circle as a community or the status of the people who will reside there. The
prospective residents, according to Ms. Dunn, perhaps are no longer in what
she calls “their primary career, but may still be working part-time
and are busier than ever, more involved in the community. They have been active,
and have an interest in it. We see a wonderful resource to take advantage
of this synergy of them living together; we’ll have amenities, the buildings,
but will be bringing more into the community, being part of the bigger
picture.”
South Franklin Circle, on beautiful property just over the border
in Geauga County, will be within walking distance of picturesque
Chagrin Falls, “an
enclave of Western Reserve architecture, with small-town appeal as
a village yet offering amenities like shopping and fine dining,” she
said. “We’re
excited about the discussion in Chagrin of reinventing itself as
a cultural arts center and the Chagrin Chautauqua pilot that is going
to be rolled out this summer. We had some of our prospective residents come
to one of the organization’s
meetings offering their input. They can be a real powerhouse behind
making this whole cultural arts thing happen.”
Ground-breaking for South Franklin Circle, according to Ms. Dunn and to Bill Fehernbach, project manager, is on track for early September when building will begin, starting with a three-story community center that will include a state-of-the-art fitness center, an indoor pool, dining and club rooms, business and distance learning center and a theater auditorium. Within this main complex will be a two-story assisted living center with 40 individual two-room suites. This first phase of the $200 million project, designed by architect Graham Gund of Boston and to be built by the Albert M. Higley Company of Cleveland, also will include building 75 percent of the homes. Among the residential choices offering more than 30 different floor plans are cottages, garden homes, town homes and apartments ranging in size from just under 1,000 sq. ft. to approximately 3,000 sq. ft. that will be ready for occupancy in September 2009. The remaining homes will be completed by the following year.
Charter member pre-construction sales concluded earlier this month, with reservations well ahead of the sales goal for financing and construction to begin. At the on-site Design Center, Mr. Fehernbach, who has been associated with the project for more than four years, said that at this stage, he and his team are now helping charter member residents with their selections of finish options, such as flooring, carpeting, cabinetry and countertops. Prospective residents Joyce and Bill Douglas were there when I talked to Mr. Fehrenbach, and I asked them their reasons for choosing South Franklin Circle.
I have a lot of faith in Judson and its management,” said Mrs. Douglas. “It’s top quality,” she added. Her husband said, “I like the openness, the ability to walk out my front door, rather than being in a high-rise apartment, and I like the Chagrin area.”
South Franklin
Circle promises to be a dynamic community designed for long and healthy
living!
Used with permission of Currents.
For media inquiries about South Franklin Circle, please contact:
Rob Lucarelli
Director of Communications
(216) 791-2321
rlucarelli@judsonsmartliving.org
