Rose Terrace at Rose Lane Health Center: cottage charm

Nursing Homes, March, 2004 by Robert Volzer

MASSILLON, OHIO

PROJECT SUMMARY

Type of Facility/Setting: 60-bed "clustered-cottage" addition to skilled nursing facility

Chief Administrator: Dennis W. Potts, LNHA

Planning/Design Consultant: JMM Architects, Inc., (614) 326-5565

Architecture/Construction Management: Harris/Day Architects. Inc., (330) 493-3722

Interior Design Consultant: Interior Design/Kay Trimmer, (727) 823-5772

Photography: [c]2003 William Webb Photography; Robert Volzer

Resident Capacity (addition): 60 beds (32 "split" semiprivate rooms, 20 private rooms, and 8 private suites)

Total Project Area (sq. ft.): 31,686 (addition only)

Total Construction Cost: $3,388,000 (site and construction, excluding land, equipment, and soft costs)

Cost/Sq. Ft.: $107

The development of Rose Lane Health Center began in the late 1990s, when Akron General Health System acquired the existing facility to support its integrated caredelivery system and expanding market area. "The acquisition of Rose Lane complemented our other assets, including a level I trauma center, two community hospitals, and a home health agency, allowing us to further our continuum of care from prevention and wellness right through long-term care," explains Akron General spokesperson Joe Jerek.

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Rose Terrace, Rose Lane's new 60-bed skilled nursing addition, has a "clustered cottage" layout characterized by richly articulated interior pathways, tower suites, private courtyards, and gabled roofs. The layout includes four distinct 15-bed living clusters connected by a variety of quaint social spaces in lieu of traditional corridors. The mix of resident room designs, all directly adjoining common areas within each cluster, includes singles, divided doubles, and private suites.

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The entire four-unit building's footprint can be replicated along a new connecting corridor designed to facilitate incremental replacement of the existing older structure.

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"Inspired by a few assisted living models and our own homes, our goal was to achieve as authentic a homelike environment as possible within the rules and regulations governing skilled nursing facilities," says Cherie Bleigh, Rose Lane's director of communications. She adds, "The variety of social spaces, including private courtyards, fireside living rooms, and seating nooks for visiting, encourages residents, staff, and families to sit for a few minutes, take a deep breath, and engage in conversation."

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"Besides being a nice feature, the private 'corner/tower suites' enable owners to cater to discriminating tastes, while yielding higher revenue for these suites," addsarchitect Mike Milligan.

Interior design consultant Kay Trimmer notes, "Our cost-effective, 'turnkey' approach for the interiors, which was supported by Health Furnishings Solutions[TM] and Nemschoff Furniture, also ensured total design coordination, from finishes and furniture to artwork and accessories."

BY ROBERT VOLZER, CID, IIDA, VOLZER DESIGN DEVELOPMENT