Brookdale Ithaca Crossings Construction Update, 5/2016

As the population ages, so do the need for specialized care facilities. Work continues on the the Brookdale Ithaca Crossings project on West Hill.

Plans call for a 23,200 SF, 1-story building with 32 bedrooms (32 beds total). Along with the new building, there will be updates to parking, landscaping stormwater facilities, and the addition of a couple of courtyards between the buildings. The project was first proposed in late 2014, and approved last July.

The facility is designed to complement Brookdale’s two other Ithaca facilities, which are adjacent to the project site – The first, a 46-unit facility to the north of the project site, is Brookdale Ithaca Assisted Living (formerly Sterling House), which serves as enhanced assisted living for seniors. The second, a 32-unit facility to the easy of the project site, is Brookdale Ithaca Memory Care (formerly Clare Bridge), which serves as assisted living for those with specific memory care needs, individuals suffering from advanced cases of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia. Both of the older facilities opened in 1999. The current project was initially called “Clare Bridge Crossings”, but it was later renamed to Brookdale Ithaca Crossings.

For more information about memory care and a few more details about offerings, I wrote an article for the Voice here.

Nursing home and assisted living facilities have to demonstrate to the state that their is a local need for a project, and the “certificate of need” is only issued at the end of a project, after it’s been built and the state has concluded its inspection. According to Brookdale representatives, there’s no indication that the certificiate of need will not be issued.

Construction is expected to last around 14 months, which would give an estimate of Q1 2017 for completion. The architect is PDC Midwest, a Wisconsin firm that specializes in memory care facilities.

Looking at the site, the foundation has been excavated and footings have been poured, and it looks like the foundation slab is already in for the south wing. The blue material might be some kind of vapor barrier film to help protect against moisture.