Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
October 30, 2002
$64 million senior housing development to be built in Aurora
Special facilities for retired priests included in 250-unit complex
By Jack Bacon
The Archdiocese of Denver will be a major tenant in St. Andrew's Village at Heather Gardens, a major privately owned and operated continuing-care retirement community to be built across the street from Heather Gardens in Aurora.
The $64 million, 250-unit complex will include 15 units reserved for retired priests, a 164-seat public chapel and a private priests chapel. The public chapel is to be available to other religious congregations.
"I think it's a great project and a great service to our Catholic people," said Msgr. Raymond Jones, archdiocesan vicar general and moderator of the curia. "It's an opportunity for our older people to retire in a Catholic setting, with priests and a chapel there."
Included in the plans are 58 assisted-living units and 40 skilled-nursing units with 58 beds. Also part of the project are 16,000 square feet of retail space, available for pharmacy, café, grocery, medical offices, etc.
The community will occupy 9 1/2 acres on the northeast corner of the intersection of East Yale Avenue and South Abilene Street, just east of Interstate 225 and directly across Yale from the 30-year-old Heather Gardens community.
Sam Perry, chairman of St. Andrew's board of members, said the site so near the long-established retirement development will benefit both communities. Heather Gardens, home to 3,800, includes no commercial outlets and no nursing care or assisted living, but does have a popular public golf course, recreation center and restaurant.
Approximately 200 Catholics attend Mass celebrated every Saturday at Heather Gardens by priests from St. Michael the Archangel Parish. Perry said the religious presence and chapel planned at St. Andrew's is considered a welcome additional benefit by residents interviewed by project officials.
Perry said the archdiocese has committed $2 million to the project, including the reservation of 15 units for retired priests, $1.5 million to be released when the certificate of occupancy is issued by Aurora and $500,000 in escrow but available for construction of the chapel.
He said response to the marketing program, which focuses heavily on parishes, has been excellent. The board hopes to start construction in the first half of next year.
Bruce Russell, vice president for development of St. Andrew's Management Services of St. Louis, will be in charge of construction. The company is an Episcopalian-Presbyterian non-for-profit corporation Russell describes as "faith-based" with 40 years' experience in development for religion-oriented organizations.
"Ninety percent has been in senior-living projects," he said. "We've done a lot with Catholics."
St. Andrew's has completed numerous Catholic projects for women's religious orders, several for groups of orders — five in St. Louis, for 13 in Antonio, Texas, and for 11 in Chicago.
"We'll probably look at seeing if sisters in Colorado want to participate" in St. Andrew's at Heather Gardens, he said. "Often they (retired sisters) want to stay where they've worked."
Construction will begin simultaneously on the whole complex, Russell said, but the assisted-living and skilled-nursing units will be completed first, by the end of next year — with move-in scheduled 12 months after start of construction. Move-ins for independent living units would begin four months later.
"In my mind, it'll be the best community in Denver by far," he added, "with pretty much a full continuum of health care."
The major portion of the complex will house 158 one-, two- and three-bedroom independent-living homes in five stories facing Yale. The assisted-living and skilled-nursing units will be housed separately in two-story wings immediately to the north. All building segments will be connected.
Perry said the financing plan for occupants will be an entrance-fee concept relatively new in this area. Residents of the independent-living units, sized from 667 to 1,333 square feet, will pay entrance fees ranging from $95,000 to $162,400, refundable at 80 percent of the price when the unit is sold. The range of entrance fees was scheduled to increase to $98,000-$179,000 Nov. 15.
Monthly service fees for independent-living units range from $1,800 to $2,870. Services covered include one meal per day, housekeeping, security and transportation. The archdiocese will pay service fees at a 5 percent discount, whether the 15 units are occupied or not.
Assisted-living services include 24-hour supervision, assistance with medication, housekeeping and three meals per day. The one- and two-bedroom apartments range from 365 to 664 square feet. Skilled-nursing units include 24-hour licensed nursing care. Assisted-living and skilled-nursing units also include dementia care.
In addition to the 15 units reserved for retired priests, a guest suite is to be included for visiting priests. Also planned for the priests, in addition to their private chapel, are a private community and dining room and a private library and computer center.
With Perry on the board of members are Msgr. Leo Horrigan, secretary-treasurer Gerald "Bud" Laber and Dennis Kenny. As the board of directors, that group will be expanded, possibly to 11. All corporate members must be Catholics and two-thirds of the board of directors will be Catholic. The health-care services are to be "operated in accordance with (Catholic) ethical and religious directives."
Amenities planned for all units include a swimming pool, fitness-wellness center, a residents laundry on each floor, exercise-massage therapy rooms and storage areas. Independent-living units will have fully equipped kitchens, balconies or patios and priority access to the assisted-living or skilled-nursing facilities if necessary. Assisted-living units will include kitchenettes with refrigerators and microwaves, personal laundry service with therapy and whirlpool bath available.
Perry said marketing is not being confined to Catholics, but extended to Protestant congregations as well.
"We'd love to get some retired ministers in there," he said.
St. Andrew's at Heather Gardens' office is at 3300 Parker Road, Suite 204, Aurora, CO 80014. Call 303-695-8100.
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