A decade after starting the Legacy Senior Living chain of assisted living, memory treatment and retirement homes across the South, Barry Ray and Bryan Cook are bringing their growing business to their hometown with a new $10 million assisted living center near the company headquarters in Cleveland, Tenn.
Legacy officials today will officially break ground on the 71-bed Legacy Village of Cleveland. Cook said Monday the new facility, which will be the 12th senior housing facility built by Legacy since its start in 2006, should open by the summer of 2018.
"Our Harbor memory care facilities are somewhat unique in their design to resemble the colors and decor of the "Dick Van Dyke" show era [from 1961 to 1966]," Cook said. "We're all about providing seniors a happy and purposeful day and the decor, the furnishings and even the colors are like stepping back in time, which a lot of research suggests is very helpful."
The new 58,000-square-foot Cleveland facility will also feature a Circadian lighting system to resemble the time of the day.
The Legacy Village at Cleveland will offer 39 studio, one-bedroom, and two bedroom assisted living suites; and 32 studio and companion memory care suites, focusing on those seniors who have Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. It is being built on the what was once the 18th green of the former Rolling Hills golf course at 2255 Candies Lane in Cleveland, which the company acquired from the Westmore Church of God.
Legacy acquired the former clubhouse to the golf course for its company headquarters. In studying the Cleveland market, Cook said officials determined there was demand for another assisted living and memory care facility.
"Cleveland is a booming community," Cook said. "The growth is strong and there is a real sense of community and Cleveland it has a high share of seniors that is growing. Most of the current facilities in town are already full with a waiting list so it made a lot of sense for us to build this in our home town."
The new facility is expected to employ about 50 workers when at full occupancy.
Since opening its first facility in 2006 in Tifton, Ga., Legacy has built a total of 11 facilities in Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia. The company is also planning to add other facilities in Annandale, Va., near Washington D.C. and in Abington, Va., "and we are looking at several other markets across the South."
Cook, whose own mother suffered from memory loss, said he and Barry Ray are veterans of the Life Care Centers of America chain, also in Cleveland, and have had a lifelong passion for caring for seniors. The Harbor memory care name reflects the safety of coming home to a harbor and the company prides itself on having all of its staff certified as memory care givers, Cook said.
Each of the Legacy facilities include tower gardens, or aeroponic gardens without dirt, where residents can grow a variety of vegetables that they eat.
Cook said it is too early to set prices for the new facility, but he said with the demand for such care he expected to fill up in about six months of its opening.
Legacy Village of Cleveland will offer a chapel, library, exercise room, nice activities room, spacious lobby with a fireplace and beautiful views of the rolling hills. Outdoor spaces will include a gazebo, walking areas and event spaces, including an outdoor kitchen.
More information about Legacy Village of Cleveland is available at legacycleveland.net.
Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 757-6340.