$45 million assisted living facility in Basking Ridge to open this spring
BERNARDS - Senior living developer LCB Senior Living has announced The Residence at Basking Ridge, a $45 million project on Mt. Airy Road, is scheduled to open in the spring, possibly as soon as April.
The 95,000-square-foot facility, offering assisted living and memory care, will have 94 apartments, including studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.
The apartments "start at approximately 300 square feet to 1,200 square feet," said Ally Stewart, sales and marketing director at the Residence at Basking Ridge. "All apartments are well appointed and include induction cooktops”.
If residents do not want to cook, the complex will also have a restaurant.
"We have a bistro. It's an alternative to eating in the restaurant, which will feature a pizza oven as well," Stewart said. Hours for the bistro will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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For those in need of memory care, Stewart said the facility has "a therapeutic approach to utilizing expressive art modalities, to positively support healthy living with people living with dementia. We believe the key to a successful dementia care program is keeping our residents engaged in programs and activities. Every day in our memory care program, we will have eight scheduled activities on the calendar and those activities, they'll be utilizing expressive art, methods of movement, music, art, storytelling, mindfulness, sensory, all of those different aspects to support healthy living."
This is the first new construction in Central Jersey, said Stewart.
LCB Senior Living, a New England-based company that recently expanded into New Jersey and Pennsylvania, acquired three other properties in the South Jersey towns of Voorhees, Cherry Hill and Manahawkin.
Bernards is an attractive market for LCB.
"I think it's a growing market," Stewart said. "I think based on the research that they do in the development phase, they found that it's necessary. We're actually pretty unique in the area, despite the fact that we do have some competitors. We're the only senior living community in our area that allows you to move into independent living and then when you need care, they just add on the care component."
Stewart the facility is different than other senior communities in the area.
"Typically in our area, when you have senior living that has independent, assisted and memory care, if you move into independent, it's segmented away from assisted living, so independent traditionally has their own dining, their own activities, separate from the assisted living side," Stewart explained. "What happens is, as soon as you need more care, you either have to pay to bring in private duty care from an outside agency or you need to pack up and move to the assisted living side. With our community, you move into independent, and when you need assistance, we just bring in the care. There's no moving required."
The building's other amenities include a movie theater, salon, fitness center and restaurant. There are also an activity room and common spaces, as well as a courtyard with firepit and outdoor dining area.
"One of the really great features of our restaurant is we have open dining from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, which is really unique in senior living in our area," said Stewart.
"The other thing that is really unique about our dining program is that we will only hire chefs that come from fine dining restaurants and country clubs," Stewart said. "If they're coming from within the industry, we're really looking for a little bit more than just experience in senior living. We want our residents to be wowed every day with the food options. "
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The residences are available only on a rental basis.
"Our rates start at anywhere from $5,248 a month and they can go up to $11,000, depending on the size, location, and access to amenities," Stewart said.
"It's a month-to-month rental, so there's no buying in," Stewart said. "I'm meeting with families currently. They can come in and meet with me in my leasing gallery. I have all the floor plans, the renderings, all the information that they need here. It's enough information that they can make a decision. We're accepting fully-refundable deposits, and by depositing with us now, it allows people to lock in the pre-construction rate, and also allows them to pick out an apartment."
The deposit is $4,500.
Brad Wadlow is a staff writer for MyCentralJersey.com. Email: bwadlow@gannettnj.com
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: The Residence at Basking Ridge assisted living facility to open this spring
