As baby boomers age, demand for senior housing is growing. That is why a sprawling senior housing development in Bloomington is going to grow even larger.
Last month, Lifespace Communities Inc. of Des Moines presented detailed plans for a two-phase, $100 million expansion of Friendship Village of Bloomington. After receiving feedback from the city's planning commission, the company "has been working to find a solution that satisfies the city while maintaining the goals and integrity of the project," according to a company spokesperson, noting that the rendering of the project doesn't reflect any future changes that might happen.
The 1.75-acre expansion includes additional apartments and assisted living units in two new buildings, including a four-story, 94-unit apartment building and a three-level, 140-bed health care center. Those buildings will replace two small commercial buildings that are adjacent to the southwest corner of the facility at 8100 and 8210 Highwood Dr. near Interstate 494 and Hwy. 169.
Friendship Village was built in the 1970s on a 24-acre site near the Hyland Lake Park Reserve. It has 296 apartments for seniors, 56 assisted-living and memory units and 66 skilled-nursing beds.
The new buildings will be connected to the old ones so that residents can move between the buildings without going outside. SAS Architects & Planners of Northbrook, Ill., designed the project, which has been in the planning stages for several years.
As part of its proposal, LifeSpace is asking the city to rezone the property. A conditional use permit would also be required, according a staff report. The health center would be built in phases and a portion of the original campus would be demolished.
Construction is expected to begin this year, with the second phase coming in early 2018.
Demand for such projects is expected to grow dramatically over the next several years, but age-restricted housing still represents just a fraction of all multifamily housing under construction in the Twin Cities area.
