Environments for Aging - Summer 2020 - 23

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ger. In fact, in some of Erikson Living's larger
communities, the operator is finding that one
main fitness center may not be enough and
is adding satellite locations throughout those
communities for quicker workouts, as well
as outdoor space for group sports such as
pickleball. "In order to stay affordable, we've
exchanged some of our lesser used amenities
in favor for larger fitness spaces," she said.
As much as residents value these spaces
for socialization, they also desire private
outdoor areas, which is driving projects such
as adding outdoor balconies and patios to
existing units or building larger, enclosed
outdoor spaces at new communities. "They
feel more like an extension of the outdoor
space," Hawks said. In fact, Suit noted that
10 years ago, Erikson Living provided 10-15
percent outdoor space to its apartments, but
that number has grown to nearly 100 percent
to offer everyone some type of outdoor area.
She noted that when addressing outdoor

space design, it's easier in larger units to
delineate these spaces between neighbors,
while for smaller units, it might be necessary
to use structures or barriers between balconies and porches to deliver privacy.
Inside senior living communities, Hawks
said changes are being made to encourage
residents to live active lives. For example, design strategies are focusing on making stairs
more prominent than elevator lobbies and
incorporating multiple landings to encourage use. Dining approaches are also being
updated to appeal to changing preferences,
including casual dining spaces that can flex
from continental breakfast in the morning to
happy hour in the early evening, outdoor dining, and carryout. "Bars have become a much
bigger part of our offering," Suit said, adding
that communities need to be sensitive to local
cultures when choosing the right location for
these spaces. "There are certain areas where
a bar shouldn't be the focal point," she added.

As communities look to meet residents'
changing desires through renovations to existing properties or through new construction, it's
important to balance costs to ensure a community stays affordable to its target audience.
"We want to make sure expectations are met,
but we need to understand what they're willing
to pay for," Suit said.
Owens said reacting to market demands,
such as evolving resident preferences, modern
aesthetics, and new technologies, can also
drive up project costs. For example, in the past
a project for Erikson Living averaged $150 per
square foot, while newer projects are closer to
$200, which factors in not only inflation but additional building features like these, he said.
Standardizing certain design elements,
such as appliance packages, flooring, hardware, cabinetry, lighting, and HVAC systems,
can offer a solution. "That's one way that we
can cut costs but still have flexibility," Suit
said.-AD EFA

Summer 2020 * EFAmagazine.com

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Environments for Aging - Summer 2020

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