The New Key Marriott Evokes the Pride and Tradition of the City with Creative Design
Fall 2018 – As a central building in the downtown landscape, the Key Center in downtown Cleveland was in dire need of a renovation to successfully compete with the expanding hospitality and event space in the City. K2M Design’s team of Architects and Interior Designers partnered with new owners, The Millennia Companies, to reinvent the Key Center into a shining star and destination for business and leisure guests alike. The 76,000 SF of public spaces within the hotel encompasses 4-stories and were previously home to two restaurants, the Marriott hotel lobby, and two ballrooms, all featuring dark woodwork, outdated furniture and upholstery.
The team transformed the dated lobby and created a greater sense of arrival and a better flow for guests which was inspired by the sophisticated industrial elite of Cleveland’s past. The new space captures a sense of pride in craftsmanship and quality with its use of custom and innovative combinations of classic materials and fine details.
The renovated hotel now features an M Club, an upscale space for Marriott Rewards members, which is outfitted with custom fixtures and furnishings that allow guests to unwind and connect in a private and welcoming space.
The first floor restaurant has been transformed into a 150 seat fine Italian dining experience, the Il Venetian. Clean lines bring chic, modern structure complimenting the elegant custom chandeliers, accompanying wall sconces, and the prominent glass front wine cellar in the high-end dining environment.
As guests move through the main level, they encounter various new tenant spaces such as The Public Square Pantry and the stylish Italian inspired Armando’s Barbershop, with traditional barber chairs, and masculine yet refined space. Guest amenities continue on the 3rd floor, where guests enjoy state of the art fitness equipment and a full-service day spa at the 25,000SF Vedas Fitness and Spa .
Event spaces received state of the art upgrades and offer flexibility to accommodate groups from 5 – 1,500. The second floor has over 17,000SF of pre-function, meeting rooms, and event spaces. The Grand Ballroom for the Marriott Hotel features modern geometric fixtures and timeless tones with deep burgundy as an accent color. The 4th floor, which was home to the former iconic Key Club has been reimagined as the St. Clair Ballroom and can accommodate up to 300 guests. The design reflects the culturally rich local history, with luxurious fabrics, and finishes throughout the pre-function and ballroom in a sophisticated navy and gold palette.
Westminster Village North, Inc., in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a thriving senior living community that took a hard look at how they could remain viable in a changing marketplace. K2M Design, formerly InterDesign, partnered with Westminster Village North to take a bold step towards their future; and this is their story.
Communities may be organic by nature, but that doesn’t mean they develop automatically. You can’t simply take a heterogeneous group of people, place them in a complex of buildings, and watch a happy community emerge. It could happen, but it’s unlikely.
The most successful and sustainable Life Plan communities (the term Leading Age advocates for continuing care retirement communities) become that way through thoughtful planning. They have a clear mission, strong leadership, and are willing to reach out for the expertise they need. As non-profit senior living communities face more and stronger competition, particularly from the for-profit sector, establishing a strong sense of community can provide a powerful advantage that will keep vacancy rates low.
Westminster Village North in Indianapolis is a shining example of a Life Plan community that has evolved from what was typical retirement housing just a generation ago. Originally constructed as a tuberculosis sanitarium, Westminster Village North has expanded its offerings to stay ahead of the changing marketplace while enhancing a strong sense of community since its 1971 opening.
Staying up-to-date
Cities and towns evolve over time, but many senior communities appear to be stuck at some point in the past. Often, that point was the most recent remodeling project. The amenities, the décor, the furniture — everything becomes a snapshot of what was popular at that time.
Shelley Rauch, MBA, HFA has been Westminster Village North’s executive director for nearly two decades. Recognizing that the only way a community can stay competitive is to evolve with the times, she was a strong advocate of the master planning process. Early in her tenure, she worked with the community’s board of directors to assess the health of the community’s infrastructure, and then to develop a plan that would update that infrastructure while enhancing Westminster Village North’s standing in the marketplace.
“I’ve always been a believer that good competition makes everybody better,” Rauch explains. “In the Indianapolis market, we’ve been able to study what other people have done and learn from the best practices.
Curb appeal is key
Impressions of a community are formed long before a prospect sets foot in the Welcome Center. Websites and marketing materials play a role, but the strongest impressions happens when people drive through the front entrance and around the community. Realtors talk about the importance of curb appeal when selling a home, and it’s just as important when promoting a Life Plan community.
When K2M Design developed Westminster Village North’s first master plan in 2000, enhancing curb appeal was a primary objective. “Residents love the mature trees that surround the community because they enhance both privacy and connections to nature,” explains Jerry Cripps, an architect for the firm who has overseen most of the improvements. “Unfortunately, the foliage was so dense that people couldn’t see the community from the road.” The master plan called for the development of a three-story independent living building as the community’s centerpiece. The front of the building and its impressive portico faced the road, and the team recommended clearing a corridor along the entry drive. “Now, when drivers go by, that building is the first thing they see.”
Reflecting surrounding neighborhoods
When the sanitarium was built in 1917, its area was sparsely populated agricultural land. In the late 1960s, farm fields began to give way to suburban development.
During the 1940s, Indianapolis built a dam about three miles north of the property to provide a reliable water supply. The project created the Geist Reservoir, and the land around the banks began to be developed during the 1970s and 1980s. The prime lakefront sites drew luxury-home developers, and the area now known as Geist earned a reputation as one of the city’s most affluent districts. Land prices climbed, and local farmers sold out to developers.
Most of the housing around Westminster Village North is occupied by middle- and upper-middle-class families, and the community reflects that image. The northern edge of the community is made up of single-family ranch homes that provide a smooth transition to the two- and three-story buildings. When K2M Design remodeled the nursing care facility, it provided a separate entry with a portico that completed the architectural style of the homes. “We thought a lot about the neighborhood feel as we designed the most recent additions,” recalls Cripps. “Because they were so close to the road, we refrained from building multiple stories. We thought that would change the whole impression of coming down the drive through the community.”
Not only does the community blend visually with surrounding neighborhoods — the level and style of finishes and amenities in the independent and assisted-living units are consistent with what local homeowners expect. That congruity also contributes to the strong sense of community.
About K2M Design & InterDesign
K2M Design®, Inc. continues our strategic growth with the acquisition of The InterDesign Group, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. K2M Design officially acquired InterDesign on May 1, 2017, integrating a talented team of Architects, Interior Designers, Project Managers, and Construction Administrators.
Having completed over 200 projects in the Senior Living and Healthcare markets, the team brings a depth of talent to K2M. Stronger together, we will continue to be leaders in the market, designing for the next generation of seniors.
Cleveland, Ohio – K2M Design is proud to be recognized by ERC as one of Northeast Ohio’s 99 best places to work! This is the 7th time that K2M has received the NorthCoast 99 award.
NorthCoast 99 is celebrating 20 years of recognizing great places for top performers that drive results, provide competitive advantages, and allow businesses to innovate and grow. Applicants are evaluated based on policies and practices related to the attraction and retention of top performers, as well as data collected from employee surveys.
“We know what a K2Mr looks like when we meet them because we are guided by our vision and our core values: Be Good, Go Forward, Learn and Lead, and Nurture Relationship,” said Kristin Cloonan, Chief Experience Officer at K2M. “As a professional services firm, our biggest asset is our people, so creating and sustaining a culture where top performers flourish is paramount to our business success!”
“We’re extremely honored to recognize the 2018 NorthCoast 99 winners. These organizations have earned the right to call themselves a great workplace by their dedication to attracting, supporting, retaining, and motivating their Top Performers. ERC developed the NorthCoast 99 program with the hopes of inspiring local leaders to promote the great workplace movement,” comments Kelly Keefe, President of ERC.
About K2M Design®, Inc.
K2M Design, is an award-winning architecture, engineering, interior design, facilities consulting, and specialty services firm that is passionate about people and projects. Celebrating their 17th year in operation, the firm was originally founded on September 1, 2001, K2M Design continues to flourish; growing staff, office locations and market sectors across the country. K2M has offices in Cleveland, Columbus, Charlotte, Baltimore, Indianapolis, NW Arkansas, and three in the Florida Keys. Focused on building relationships based on trust and results, K2M is committed to being an active partner from project start to finish and beyond.
K2M was featured in Construction in Focus Magazine‘s June 2018 edition. The article focused on K2M’s Culture by Design – we take the best care of our people so they take the best care of the projects they work on. Our people are our biggest asset and we believe K2Mrs are why we have been so successful over our 16 year history.
K2M Design and the City of Key West have had a long-standing partnership working together on a collection of projects, most recently Truman Waterfront Phase 1B.
Previously completed, Phase 1A of the Truman Waterfront redevelopment included an amphitheater, park, and water park. Phase 1B includes renovation of a service building and the police equestrian facilities and creation of a FIFA regulation soccer field. Additional features include:
Multi-purpose field with concessions and restrooms
9,800SF Dog Park
Fruit Tree Groves
Horse Stables and Run for the Key West Mounted Police
Public Works and Community Services Building
Large projects and small, K2M Design continues to serve our community with three offices in the Keys. We remain the only full-service architecture, design, and engineering firm serving the entire Keys community, if you are interested in learning more, reach out to Keys Director, Joe Moody.
On the first day K2Mrs were allowed to enter the Florida Keys after Hurricane Irma, I received a call from Drs. Douglas and Gerry Mader. They were referred to K2M by a mutual friend Tim Root, CEO of McKendry Builders and needed a professional to inspect and evaluate their home. Within 24 hours of receiving the call, we were onsite performing the first of many dozens of residential engineering inspections for our Keys neighbors. Unfortunately, the dream house they built together, got married in, and have lived for over 25 years was beyond repair.
With K2M’s attention to detail, we were hired to design a new dream house for the Maders. K2M architect and Big Pine Key resident, Erica Poole, designed the new 3,200 square foot primary house plus garage and ground floor enclosure. The home has been designed to maximize the views to the exterior with personal touches everywhere. According to Dr. Mader, “K2M listens and are very receptive. They are brilliant and have excellent ideas how to incorporate ours in to the overall design. They’ve been incredibly easy to work with and have been good communicating the processes and paperwork needed for permitting.”
It has been an honor and privilege to work closely with so many of our Keys neighbors these last several months since Irma, as we together rebuild our community. Here’s wishing each and every one of you a speedy recovery to normalcy. Should you ever need an architect, engineer, interior designer, or condition assessment specialist do not hesitate to give us a call.
For over four months the Advance Auto Parts in Marathon, Florida lay boarded up after Hurricane Irma. The damage was quite substantial and included partial roof and full interior loss as well as MEP system and structural damage. Following a settlement with the insurance company, Advanced Auto Parts contracted with K2M Design to bring their store back to life.
Prior to being under contract, K2M completed a building inspection of the facility and recommendations to the client how to redevelop the project and maintain the amount of work required under the 50% rule for bringing structures into full compliance with current codes and regulations. In late January, K2M went under contract to complete the architectural and engineering rehabilitation of the building. Our team built back and improved the building to current codes. We made several sustainable design recommendations that lead to additional roof insulation, LED lighting, and new equipment. Accessibility enhancements were made and a new bathroom constructed.
All in all, the work was completed in swift order and submitted for building permit. Within three weeks and no comments from the City of Marathon, the contractor was able to move forward with the construction. As a result of a great collaboration with the client, the city, and the design team, we helped Advanced Auto Parts accelerate their rebuilding processes in order to serve our community again. We’ve also been quite fortunate to work on a Master Services Agreement with Advanced Auto Parts for stores throughout Florida.
Westminster Village North, Inc., in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a thriving senior living community that took a hard look at how they could remain viable in a changing marketplace. Partnered with InterDesign, now a K2Mpowered company, Westminster Village North took a bold step towards their future; and this is their story.
People are getting older
The Baby Boomers were the largest generation for many decades, and it’s well-known that Boomers are swelling the ranks of America’s seniors. As of 2012, the 65-and-better crowd accounted for 13.7 percent of the nation’s population, and the Census Bureau says one in five Americans will be in that group by 2060. In fact, people 65 and older will outnumber those under 18 in 2056 for the first time in history.
The fastest-growing demographic will be those who are age 85 and older. By 2050, nearly one in four women and one in five men above 65 will fall into the 85-plus group. As Life Plan communities plan for the future, they need to consider the impacts of those demographic shifts, in particular the fact that residents may spend more years in the community.
One of the hallmarks of the institutional approach to senior living was the semi-private room with two beds along one wall, a light fixture over each, and (sometimes) a curtain in between. Residents shared a bathroom with little or no decor, and typically were transported down the hall to a common bathing facility. Although that approach was tolerated for many years, today’s seniors won’t put up with it. A key reason is that they want to protect their dignity by gaining privacy. In response, communities are looking for ways to transform those prison-like rooms into something more attractive and personal.
“We’ve tried to think about these rooms the way you might think about your home,” explains Cripps. “In a house you have different zones, some of which are public, and some — typically the bedrooms and bathrooms — are private. Even though we’re dealing with spaces as small as 300 square feet, we can take steps to create those zones.” At Westminster Village North, Cripps and his team have accomplished that by partitioning rooms with translucent panels. “When you look in the door, you see the public area with a small table.” The private zone, which includes the bed and the bathroom, isn’t as visible from the hallway.
“One of the things that always bothered me about the traditional nursing home approach is that the lights in the hallways are always on, and as the resident is lying in bed, they can see into the hallway,” he adds. “By using the translucent panel, the resident is no longer able to see into the hallway, but a nurse walking by can quickly tell if the resident is in bed. It also adds a decorative touch and allows us to bring natural light from the window into the room and the hallway.”
The architects at K2M Design® upgraded the finishes in the bathrooms to make them more personal, adding a small but significant change to the configuration. “In so many nursing homes, as you walk down the hall, you can see into the bathroom in every room you pass,” Cripps says. “We angled the bathroom door so people walking by can’t see in. We also installed sliding doors, so you don’t lose floor space to a swinging door.” He says they originally recommended pocket doors, but they proved to be a maintenance headache, so they switched to the barn-style sliding doors that are currently popular on TV design shows.
Emphasizing personal wellness
Today’s new residents are far more active than their counterparts of a generation ago, and they want to stay that way. The days when “wellness” meant having a room with a treadmill and an exercise bike are long gone. People continue to be concerned about fitness, so workout rooms that are more like health clubs and swimming pools are popular. There’s also growing awareness that wellness also applies to the mind and spirit, so facilities for activities such as Tai Chi and yoga, as well as services such as massages and spa treatments, are appealing to prospective residents. Younger residents are interested in outdoor activities such as walking and gardening.
Don’t forget Fido, either. Seniors don’t want to leave their beloved pets behind, and those dogs and cats can contribute to both physical and emotional health. Communities can appeal to pet owners by including amenities such as recreation areas for dogs and outdoor spaces with protection from the weather, so a quick walk doesn’t mean getting frozen or drenched.
Restaurant-style meals
The generation currently arriving at Life Plan communities is accustomed to eating many of their meals away from home. They enjoy restaurant dining and have acquired diverse tastes. Offering one banquet-style dining room with limited hours and a few menu choices probably won’t satisfy them.
That’s why communities are adding variety to their dining services, with creative menus, multiple locations for meals, and opportunities to dine throughout the day. One of the most popular additions at Westminster Village North is The Bistro, an intimate coffeehouse setting that offers light dining options such as soups and sandwiches, with additional tables in an adjacent outdoor plaza. The Bistro has become a popular spot for informal meetings, and staff members enjoy eating there, too.
Getting wired … or wireless
Previous generations may have been slow to embrace technology, but current prospects have been using it in the home and workplace for years. They expect to stay connected in their new environment, so extensive wi-fi access throughout the community is a must.
Cripps says flat-screen TVs have been a boon to designers. “A decade ago, if someone wanted a big TV, they needed space for a big countertop or cabinet. Now, we can attach a very large screen to the wall, so they can see it easily while lying in bed.” As streaming music and movies becomes more popular, community owners need to ensure that they’ve installed sufficient bandwidth.
A big “pipeline” will also prepare communities for the next generation of connected technologies. “We’re seeing technology that can connect to toilets and mirrors, allowing staff to remotely monitor the health of assisted-living residents,” Cripps notes. “Eventually it will allow for a higher level of care that feels much less intrusive.”
From décor to resources, the key in reaching the current crop of residents is taking the concept of “home-like” very seriously. It’s not longer enough to have a design element or two that reminds the residents of the homes they left behind. Successful Life Plan communities will create an environment that essentially duplicates or even surpasses what residents previously had.
For more information on senior living campus and facility design, reach out to Director Phil Howard.
About K2M Design & InterDesign
K2M Design®, Inc. continues our strategic growth with the acquisition of The InterDesign Group, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. K2M Design officially acquired InterDesign on May 1, 2017, integrating a talented team of Architects, Interior Designers, Project Managers, and Construction Administrators.
Having completed over 200 projects in the Senior Living and Healthcare markets, the team brings a depth of talent to K2M. Stronger together, we will continue to be leaders in the market, designing for the next generation of seniors.
Construction is booming in the Florida Keys with many trying to get their homes and businesses back in operation.
In some instances, the local municipalities lack enough inspectors to meet the demands of the hundreds of projects happening in the lower, middle, and upper Keys.
Many times the municipality have a process where a registered architect or engineer can apply to be an inspector as long as they meet the professional credentials, business registration requirements, and company financial requirements.
Recently, K2M Design was engaged by the owner of Cheeca Lodge who was under significant pressure to get the resort opened. As their local architect and engineer on a variety of projects in the past, we again united with the owner and their contractor to provide inspection services for the restorative work they were doing over the last few months.
Two days each week, our inspector was on site, conducting our analysis of the completed work, keeping the Village informed through our regular reporting, and most importantly the contractor moving forward. The impact of our team commitment was the grand re-opening of Cheeca Lodge this past weekend.
The main driver for many of the businesses and associations in the Keys is tourism and getting the properties back in operation so tourists can visit us and drive the Keys economic engine is critical. At any point in your redevelopment you need inspection services call the experts at K2M Design.
Proudly serving the Florida Keys for nearly two decades!
K2Mrs from across the country convened for our company-wide Team Building event in Indianapolis, K2M’s newest location. With K2M’s growth over the past couple of years, it was an important oportunity to get together as #OneK2M and grow our People connection!
The K2M team headed out on Thursday for a scavenger hunt and took some creative group pictures around the very walkable city of Indianapolis. Afterwards, everyone met up at City Hardware to focus on the Power of People! We enjoyed some informal getting to know you time, along with some fun, organized activities designed to grow the personal connection.
The next morning, we focused on the Power of Projects! We started the day with our quarterly State of the Company presentation and Townhall, where we discussed K2M’s history and vision forward. We learned more about our behind-the-scenes colleagues with Support Team Trivia, and then we got together in teams to build a #BRBOTAR! What’s that, you say?! K2M’s mission is to Build Relationships Based on Trust and Results (#BRBOTAR), the teams embodied this core value into their designs. Check out the pictures below to see our creative interpretations!
Finally, we had our first annual #BRBOTAR Awards. Nominations from colleagues poured in for K2Mrs who embody our core values and live our mission. We recognized 20 outstanding K2Mrs and awarded Annisa Davis with the highest honor. Congratulations Annisa! K2M wouldn’t be the same without you and all the other honorees!
A special thank you to our partners at CultureShoc for helping facilitate our event and also the venue City Hardware/Ritz Charles catering. The leftover food from our event was donated to the local homeless shelter, Wheeler Mission.
Westminster Village North, Inc., in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a thriving senior living community that took a hard look at how they could remain viable in a changing marketplace. Partnered with InterDesign, now a K2Mpowered company, Westminster Village North took a bold step towards their future; and this is their story.
Not all that long ago, the phrase “senior housing” conjured up long hallways illuminated by four-foot-long cool-white fluorescent tubes and lined with spartan semi-private rooms. Seniors called them “nursing homes” and feared them, because being consigned to a nursing-home bed was viewed the equivalent of giving up on life. Sure, some homes offered hallways with colorful wallcoverings and rooms with bright windows, but even at the nicest ones, the feel was decidedly institutional and invariably depressing.
“Today’s consumer isn’t as frightened of long-term care,” suggests Shelley Rauch, MBA, HFA, Executive Director of Westminster Village North in Indianapolis. She gives part of the credit to increased use of social media and websites that allow potential residents to research facilities. But she sees the primary reason as a different attitude. “Couples are making decisions about retirement housing earlier,” Rauch says. “They want to ensure that their retirement years will be what they envision and that they’ll be able to do all the things they want, but with the added security of a safe environment that promotes their wellness.”
Like many Life Plan communities (the term Leading Age advocates for continuing care retirement communities), Westminster Village North uses life occupancy agreements to ensure that residents will have access to higher levels of care, even if they outlive their financial resources. That’s particularly appealing to Baby Boomers who watched their parents struggle with finding the right care for an ailing spouse. “We hear a lot of new residents say that they want to make the decision so their kids don’t have to,” Rauch adds. “That’s a very common theme.”
Renovated therapy courtyard with exercise stations, a variety of colors and textures, and inviting places to sit and visit.
Enter the HGTV generation
The seniors who are currently moving into Life Plan communities — a mix of the leading edge of the Boomers and the tail end of the Veterans generation — enjoyed economic prosperity and consumer freedom through most of their adult years. They became accustomed to choosing every aspect of their active lifestyles, and aren’t willing to give up that freedom of choice just because they’ve entered a new phase of life.
“They want to keep the amenities they have, even though they may be moving from a pretty large home to a 1,000-square-foot apartment,” says Jerry Cripps, an architect with K2M Design® who has overseen a variety of renovation and construction projects for Westminster Village North. “That’s why it’s important to include the upgrades and amenities people have come to expect.” That level of finish is also important when children are helping their parents make decisions about senior living. “When the kids come in looking for a place for Mom, those amenities and design choices are important to them. Family members want a place that looks as much like home as possible.”
The popularity of home-design TV shows is also raising the bar for expectations, Cripps says. “People like what they see on HGTV and in magazines. When a community offers those finishes and upgrades, it makes it more attractive for people to make that leap from their home.” However, that doesn’t mean one set of options is going to work for every potential resident. From floorplans to finishes, today’s seniors expect a menu of choices, and tomorrow’s prospective residents will expect even more opportunities for customization. The more opportunities communities offer to personalize living spaces, the more attractive and competitive those communities will be.
New assisted living one-bedroom apartments feature quartz countertops, stone backsplash, the warmth of wood, an abundance of natural light, and views to the exterior.
Building flexibility into communities
A generation back, most senior care communities offered two options: small private apartments for seniors who could care for themselves and a semi-private nursing home environment for those with declining health. As life expectancy increases and the quality of medical care improves, other options have emerged along the continuum of care. Today, most communities offer a combination of some kind of standalone homes or cottages, independent living apartments, assisted living units for residents who need support with some activities of daily living (ADLs), and skilled nursing care (often with a special wing for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementia conditions).
Some of those changes have been driven by insurance reimbursement practices and the recognition that even people in poor health are living much longer, notes Cripps. “Today’s assisted living apartment is what we would have considered independent living yesterday. And many of the people who are in assisted living settings today would have been in skilled long-term care just 15 years ago.”
Westminster Village North was constructed as a sanitarium for tuberculosis patients in the early 20th century, and institutional traces lingered during its first quarter-century as a retirement community. As Cripps and the project team have updated the community’s buildings to serve the changing population, they’ve faced challenges resulting from the original configuration. As they look ahead, they want to ensure that their designs provide few limitations when future changes are needed.
What’s “retirement”?
An emerging demographic presents new opportunities (and the inevitable challenges) to Life Plan communities. Empty-nesters and other couples in their mid-50s aren’t waiting for retirement to sell their homes. Without kids at home, they want to downsize, and they aren’t interested in spending time or money on home maintenance.
Age-restricted housing communities appeal to this growing demographic, by combining open floorplans than seem larger than the actual square footage, maintenance services, the kinds of amenities one would find at a vacation resort, and opportunities to socialize with neighbors. This type of development is a natural addition to a Life Plan community, and can provide a new entry point to the current continuum.
For more information on senior living campus and facility design, reach out to Director Phil Howard.
About K2M Design & InterDesign
K2M Design®, Inc. continues our strategic growth with the acquisition of The InterDesign Group, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. K2M Design officially acquired InterDesign on May 1, 2017, integrating a talented team of Architects, Interior Designers, Project Managers, and Construction Administrators.
Having completed over 200 projects in the Senior Living and Healthcare markets, the team brings a depth of talent to K2M. Stronger together, we will continue to be leaders in the market, designing for the next generation of seniors.
Westminster Village North, Inc., in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a thriving senior living community that took a hard look at how they could remain viable in a changing marketplace. Partnered with InterDesign, now a K2Mpowered company, Westminster Village North took a bold step towards their future; and this is their story.
“Westminster Village North’s board was very forward-thinking,” says architect Jerry Cripps, who became the firm’s liaison upon Spear’s retirement. “Early on, they recognized that they needed to take a long-term approach to repositioning the campus if they were going to remain competitive and fiscally viable.”
The master plan put the board’s willingness to change to the test. The architects recommended razing five of the older buildings and replacing the Plexiglas “tubes” with more functional corridors. While those enclosed walkways were innovative at the time of installation, Rauch says they had become a point of frustration. “The heating and cooling was no longer functional,” Rauch explains, “and residents had to travel through them frequently. That was not the safest idea in extreme heat or cold.”
Why replace instead of rehabilitate? “A lot of the existing buildings just had too many limitations,” explains Cripps. “For example, some were built like hospitals, with low floor-to-floor heights and narrow distances between the center corridor and the exterior walls. Many of the masonry walls were load-bearing, with some first-floor walls 18 inches wide. Over the years, those tiny rooms were cobbled into a variety of funny-shaped configurations. It would have been very expensive to retrofit mechanical systems to ensure that they were meeting today’s codes and the expectations of today’s residents. Often it’s more financially viable to demolish a building and go back in with something you’ve designed for what you want to provide.”
A modernized Westminster
The master plan’s initial recommendations involved nearly $23 million of new construction and renovations. Existing buildings were repurposed to meet the changing needs of residents, such as space for patients with Alzheimer’s — a condition that wasn’t readily recognized at the time of the original renovation. The plan provided wide, bright connecting hallways, allowed for an expansion of the health center, centralized all service activities, and added a three-story independent living building with plenty of office space. It also called for the construction of additional duplex residences with walk-out basements, which proved to be wildly popular among seniors who didn’t want to give up their hobbies.
Our team of architects also examined ways to reduce costs by streamlining operations. “We hadn’t realized how efficient we could be,” says Rauch. “At the time they developed the plan, we had eight separate kitchens, including satellites, and eight dining rooms. Their recommendations helped us reinvent the way we provided meal service to our residents so it would be more efficient, make the best use of our staffing levels, and make processes easier for our staff.”
Just as important, the plan sought to improve the community’s curb appeal. While residents enjoyed the wooded setting, the extensive greenery rendered the campus all but invisible from nearby roads. By clearing a corridor between Sunnyside Road and the new independent living building, the plan created an attractive front door while reinforcing the fact that Westminster was surrounded by mature trees.
Beyond making recommendations for the facilities, the plan also spelled out a three-phase approach to construction that would minimize the impact upon current residents. “The architectural team was instrumental in helping us accomplish these changes without putting the lives of our residents into turmoil,” Rauch notes. “It showed us how we could get to where we needed to be and still satisfy our residents with a high-quality experience.”
Improvements are ongoing
Since the original master plan, Westminster Village North has continued to work with this team of architects to keep the community ahead of the ever-changing marketplace. Recent projects have focused on adding space for short-term rehabilitation patients. “People who need a rehab setting aren’t as willing to accept semi-private rooms that look institutional,” says Rauch. “Hospitals are leading the expectations with more homelike settings, and we’ve moved to what feels like a private suite for rehab patients.” An added advantage is that someone who has a positive experience while recovering from surgery or a medical problem may be more likely to become a resident in the future.
Wellness considerations are important, too, Rauch notes. “This architectural firm has helped us find ways to utilize our grounds to help people with our wellness goals. That includes everything from creative therapy spaces, to outdoor therapy gardens, to offering indoor and outdoor routes between buildings to ensure that residents can get the exercise they need, no matter what Indiana’s weather may bring.”
In just under a century, the property has been transformed from a place designed to isolate people who need rest into a thriving community focused on active lives. Thanks to thoughtful planning and prudent investment, Westminster Village North is healthier today and better able to withstand competition.
For more information on senior living campus and facility design, reach out to Director Phil Howard.
About K2M Design & InterDesign
K2M Design®, Inc. continues our strategic growth with the acquisition of The InterDesign Group, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. K2M Design officially acquired InterDesign on May 1, 2017, integrating a talented team of Architects, Interior Designers, Project Managers, and Construction Administrators.
Having completed over 200 projects in the Senior Living and Healthcare markets, the team brings a depth of talent to K2M. Stronger together, we will continue to be leaders in the market, designing for the next generation of seniors.
Westminster Village North, Inc., in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a thriving senior living community that took a hard look at how they could remain viable in a changing marketplace. Partnered with InterDesign, now a K2Mpowered company, Westminster Village North took a bold step towards their future; and this is their story.
Not-for-profit Life Plan communities (the term LeadingAge advocates for continuing care retirement communities) are at a critical crossroads. While the aging of America’s population has created significant opportunities, the marketplace has become significantly more competitive, particularly through the emergence of aggressive for-profit senior care companies, as changes in payment models and insurance reimbursement threaten the financial stability of many communities.
Fortunately, the situation is far from hopeless. In fact, there may never be a better opportunity for not-for-profit communities to secure a solid future and withstand even well-financed competitors. The keys are in understanding the changing needs and expectations of the marketplace, creating a long-term vision, and investing in the future.
Westminster Village North in Indianapolis is a shining example of a not-for-profit Life Plan community that recognized changes and took a strategic approach to ensure its continued viability. Today, the community is prospering, and it continues to remain focused on the future, making it a model for other not-for-profits that wish to do more than simply survive. In this series of articles, we’ll examine the changes in our marketplace and the steps Westminster Village North took to become one of its market’s most desirable and successful communities.
Drive around the northeast corner of Indianapolis, and you’ll see all the signs of a healthy, affluent region. Anchored by the luxury-home communities fronting the 1,890-acre Geist Reservoir, and rapidly filling with desirable subdivisions and aggressive retailers, the area has been a development magnet for the past three decades.
A century ago, the area held a different appeal, with empty meadows and few residents. The bucolic setting was the perfect place to isolate victims of the dreaded ‘white plague.” In 1917, local health officials constructed the Sunnyside Sanitarium, a state-of-the-art facility for isolating and treating tuberculosis patients.
Sunnyside’s last patient moved out in 1969. Two years later, Presbyterian Housing Program purchased the abandoned complex and transformed it into a modern retirement housing community under the Westminster Village North name. The main building became a central kitchen, and the smaller structures that formerly housed patient rooms were remodeled into modest apartments, with Plexiglas connectors linking the buildings.
Remaining competitive
Westminster Village North enjoyed a great reputation and healthy occupancy rates for the next quarter-century. It became its own locally managed non-profit corporation, and in 1997, Shelley Rauch, MBA, HFA became Executive Director. She quickly recognized that updating the community was critical. For one thing, changing demographics were fostering new philosophies of senior housing, and Westminster Village North’s design was becoming dated.
An even greater concern was the decades-old infrastructure. “The age of the physical plant was starting to show,” Rauch recalls. “We also knew we weren’t operating as efficiently as we could. We had several buildings, some with as few as 10 apartments, but each had its own mechanical and electrical systems to maintain. Our reputation and quality outcomes were excellent, but we realized that wasn’t going to be enough as people started talking about what the coming generations would expect from senior housing. Clearly, we needed to pursue some capital improvements.”
Debt can be good
Rauch was aware that Westminster Village North’s board took pride in the community’s lack of debt and might be hesitant to make a significant investment, so she initially focused on what the board would view as practical: the infrastructure. “The directors agreed to an engineering study to determine the life expectancy of everything from roofs, to windows, to electrical and mechanical systems. That study told us we had already exceeded the life of everything in all of our buildings.”
A health facility planner who had handled much of the previous renovation work while on Presbyterian Housing Program’s staff, Bruce Spear, had joined InterDesign, an Indianapolis architecture and engineering firm, now a part of K2M Design®, Inc. Rauch reached out to Spear and discussed the situation. He referred her to an investment banking group, which performed an extensive financial analysis concluding that the community’s ratios and cash position would be strengthened with the addition of some debt.
“The board began to recognize that we couldn’t maintain our reputation for long if we didn’t address these challenges,” Rauch notes. InterDesign had handled a well-received renovation to the health center, and in 2000, Rauch asked Spear to create a master plan for the community’s future.
“We talked with different architectural firms about what they could do for us, but the board and I appreciated that InterDesign shared our vision that Westminster felt like a small college campus,” she recalls. “They didn’t want to reinvent us. Instead, they shared our residents’ pride in our grounds and wanted to update the facilities while embracing our history.”
For more information on developing a Life Plan Community, reach out to Director Phil Howard.
About K2M Design & InterDesign
K2M Design®, Inc. continues our strategic growth with the acquisition of The InterDesign Group, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. K2M Design officially acquired InterDesign on May 1, 2017, integrating a talented team of Architects, Interior Designers, Project Managers, and Construction Administrators.
Having completed over 200 projects in the Senior Living and Healthcare markets, the team brings a depth of talent to K2M. Stronger together, we will continue to be leaders in the market, designing for the next generation of seniors.
K2M Design® recently assisted a regional developer partner with a budget conscious concept design. The concept was for a phased refresh of a legacy property in their portfolio to support construction estimating efforts.
The initial concept was delivered within two weeks of field documentation, and refinements executed within a week of owner comments for an overall project duration of less than 4 weeks.
Working within client parameters, the refresh of the 1,200 lineal foot facade minimizes demolition and utilizes brick, cast stone, cultured stone, EIFS, and tile applied to the existing construction. The refresh establishes a new look for the center, providing flexibility for future tenant work, and the resolution of challenging entrance conditions.
Presented in a compact format with an existing façade photomontage, and proposed façade and plan on each sheet, the package supports contractor pricing, as well as lease negotiations with existing and potential tenants.
K2M Design® is proud to be recognized for our passion, drive, and tenacity with a Weatherhead 100 Award, celebrating K2M as one of the Fastest Growing Companies in Northeast Ohio. This is the firm’s 9th time being recognized on this prestigious list. The team is proud of this accolade, as it represents the best exampled of leadership, growth, and success in Northeast Ohio.
Established in 1988, Case Western Reserves Weatherhead School of Managment‘s awards are the premier celebration of Northeast Ohio’s spirit of entrepreneurship and the companies leading the way.
Scott Maloney headed to Athens, Greece last month to speak at the MyEO Women of EO Summit. The event empowered EO members from around the world in areas of business, health, leadership, relationships, family, and personal growth.
Kicking off the event, Scott toasted the Women of EO at a private party directly adjacent to Poseidon’s Temple. It was a true honor to host the dinner at this historic location and more so with some of the brightest female entrepreneurs in the world. Thank you all for the opportunity to learn and grow together!
Additionally, Scott did a TEDx style talk to an incredible audience of 70+ entrepreneurs at the Acropolis Museum. The talk focused on Empowering Teams and what it takes to lead a truly empowered team. Check out the transcript of the speech over at Inc.com.
Remember:
Define your vision and mission.
Develop your employee brand to support it.
Hire only candidates that fit your employee brand.
Get out of the way, and trust.
Utilize a system that gives your employees a structure for success.
Stay engaged and measure results.
Celebrate successes and employee growth.
In August, most Greeks take the month off and head to the islands and the beaches. There was a beach directly across the street from the Davani Collection hotel where the event was held, and yes, Maloney did brave the cold water and waded into the Adriatic Sea. “I can now understand why Europeans swim in the Gulf of Mexico in the winter. BRRR! A once in a lifetime experience for me, seriously! Cross this off my list, as I’m no polar bear.”
Today K2M announces another milestone in our evolution – our 16th Anniversary! Growing a practice from very humble beginnings that began with the 9/11 tragedy so many years ago, to what we’ve become today, is truly amazing. Amazing in the fact of what we’ve been able to accomplish together, but also humbling with the continued support of so many friends of K2M around the world.
As we discussed what to share with the K2Muniverse, we realized it’s the power of our commitment to our founding vision, set so many moons ago, that has led to our tremendous success and growth.
Our commitment to:
Establishing a Full-Service firm with a national focus offering our clients a one-stop shop from project planning through construction administration.
Creating a culture focused on our people who deliver quality projects day in and day out. K2M has been consistently recognized as a Great Place to Work.
Strategic and laser like focus on our project delivery. We continue to drive proper project rhythms across the business making sure our Clients are #1.
Providing our clients greater accessibility and a local presence with the growth to 9 offices that span the eastern United States, including organic growth in Rogers, AR, Columbus, OH, and Key Largo, FL.
Thank you again for all your support, your trust, and your confidence, as we work together to accomplish our shared goals. We are truly blessed and thank everyone for their contribution to making K2M all that it has become.
Building Relationships Based on Trust and Results!
K2M Design proudly announces that we have been named one of Northeast Ohio’s 99 best places to work! This is the 6th time that we have received this award.
NorthCoast 99 recognizes great places to work for top performing people that drive results, provide competitive advantages, and allow businesses to innovate and grow. Applicants are evaluated based on policies and practices related to the attraction and retention of top performers, as well as data collected from employee surveys.
“We’re extremely honored to recognize the 2017 NorthCoast 99 winners. These organizations have earned the right to call themselves a great workplace by their dedication to attracting, supporting, retaining, and motivating their Top Performers. ERC developed the NorthCoast 99 program with the hopes of inspiring local leaders to promote the great workplace movement,” comments Pat Perry, President of ERC.
NorthCoast 99 is an annual recognition program that honors 99 great workplaces for top talent in Northeast Ohio. The program is presented by ERC (www.yourerc.com). ERC helps organizations create great workplaces by providing HR resources, training, and consulting services. Sponsors of the NorthCoast 99 program include: Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, CareerCurve, Cleveland Magazine, ERChealth, Frantz Ward LLP, Gino’s Awards, Oswald Companies, Staffing Solutions Enterprises, and Ultimate Software.
Florida Keys – August 2017 – The K2M team is excited to announce the addition of Joe Moody as the Director of our Florida Keys offices, which include Key West, Marathon and Key Largo. Joe is an established business and team energizer, with a diverse background in engineering and leadership spanning the globe. As an executive level business leader, Joe brings strategic insight to K2M, sharing over 30 years’ experience with the team. Throughout his career, Joe has tactically managed global business units and led engaged teams from small start-ups to global firms.
Joe will be leading a vibrant team of architects, engineers, and interior designers while overseeing the operations, business development, and production. K2M Design has a long tradition of success in the Florida Keys, providing design, architecture, engineering, planning support, permitting, and construction support services across multiple local markets.
As a historic homeowner in the Keys and a current appointed Commissioner on the Key West Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC), Joe is familiar with the local environment, community, and historic significance of Keys architecture and habitat. His ability to transcend various business sectors to unite and motivate teams was a strong driver in his recent union with K2M.
Steve Grasley, COO of K2M and resident of Marathon shared his enthusiasm for Joe’s addition to the K2M team. “Joe brings a strong sense of business aptitude and team building to K2M, making him a perfect fit for our growing organization. His understanding of the Keys culture, style, and history were a driving factor for us during the hiring process. We are excited to have him engaged with our talented team of professionals and we are confident that our established Client base will embrace him in the same way.”
Most recently, Mr. Moody utilized his experience as an Electrical Engineer, working with a small firm in the Keys. Joe has also has vast experience working directly with entrepreneurs, private equity investors and leadership teams to maximize organizational results by providing advisory services, operations evaluations and optimization to a wide variety of growth-oriented organizations.
When asked what brought Joe to K2M Design, he smiled and said, “I feel you are lucky in life when you have an opportunity to make an impact on a team, see growth happen, and influence the career of creative professionals. I am excited to be a part of this team, share K2M’s rich history of successful project delivery with clients, and continue the path of growth that this team is on.”
About K2M Design, Inc.
K2M Design, Inc. is an award-wining architecture, engineering, interior design, asset management, and specialty services firm that is passionate about people and projects. We will celebrate our 16 year anniversary on September 1, 2017, K2M Design continues to flourish; growing staff, office locations and market sectors across the country. In addition to the three office in the Keys you will find K2M offices in Charlotte, Baltimore, Cleveland, Columbus, Bentonville, AR, and Indianapolis. We strive to build relationships with our clients that are based on trust and results and are committed to being an active partner from project start to finish and beyond.
K2M Design was once again featured in Interior Design Magazine’s 2017 list of Rising Giants. This year we rose two spots to number 85. Rising Giants features 100 of the top Interior Design firms from across the country spanning multiple project industries. This list is subsequent to Interior Design Magazine’s Top Giants List.
Interior Design Magazine previously named K2M on their list of Hospitality Giants three times: 2015, 2014, and 2013.
K2M Design is honored to be working at an iconic landmark in the Cleveland skyline, Key Tower is the 24th tallest building in the United States. Currently engaged in Design Development with the Marriott at Key Center, K2M is planning the renovation of the hotel’s public spaces, including the lobby/greatroom, public restrooms, lobby lounge, fine dining restaurant, as well as the ballroom, pre-function, meeting rooms/board room, and fitness center.
The inspiration for the new design is Rockefeller Refined. In the midst of resurgence, Cleveland reignites the spark of innovation that once defined the city. During the original Gilded Age, Titans of industry harnessed the unique and wide ranging perspectives of a diverse immigrant population to foster the innovation that pushed Cleveland to the forefront of industrial development. These industrial elite also employed the finest craftsmen to construct their cultural legacies throughout the city. Culturally rich, bespoke examples of refined luxury, built with pride, using time-honored materials and skills perfected over generations.
The newly design spaces will capture the refined sense of pride in craftsmanship, featuring innovative combinations of classic materials, finely detailed to a luxurious finish that will make the Rockefellers of today feel truly inspired.
Product Runway, put on but IIDA, is a design competition where designers utilize a manufacturer’s product as the fabric to create high fashion garments. K2M constructed a runway worthy outfit with Knoll Textiles’ materials, and won Most Wearable!
Like architecture & design, fashion is a juxtaposition of layers and faceted details – when combined, displays a well-constructed narrative. To tell our story, the team began with the concept of “opposition, a dichotomy.” Our initial sketches showed heavy structures which enveloped the model while revealing extensions of lines and nods to motion. The final design emulates a tactile experience while holding true to variation in the rigid yet organic scalloped cowl (clad in suede) as well as the detachable side train (layered wall covering) – a tented shell encasing an undulated sheer. Overall the garment strives to be a chic attire for urban strolling with a couture flexure. Together, the outfit achieves luxurious versatility.
Hallo and Greetings from Germany! Scott Maloney visited Frankfurt, the largest financial center on the continent, for MyEO‘s Global Leadership Conference last month. Frankfurt is the only German city with an expansive skyline of skyscapers. The EO convention was held in multiple buildings throughout the downtown area. Scott spoke at the regional council session for EO and kept quite busy on his visit. In addition to speaking, he also hosted and participated in an expo, did two days of training with global leaders, and hosted dinner at Tiger restaurant with 20 other EOrs. Tiger is a 2 star Michelin restaurant in Frankfurt, Scott said it was some of the best food he’s ever enjoyed.
He did have some time to enjoy the German culture. In Altstadt, which is the Old Town neighborhood, Scott enjoyed a traditional German meal and took a walk on the Eiserner Steg bridge, a pedestrian bridge with thousands of love locks, pictured below. He also participated in a traditional German drinking game, Masskrugstemmen, a Bavarian feat of strength and endurance where you hold a one liter stein of beer in front of yourself, no beer spilling, no elbow bends, and arms must be parallel to the ground. Scott got 3rd place!
Cleveland, OH – May 1, 2017 – K2M Design, Inc. continues their strategic growth with the acquisition of The InterDesign Group, Inc. located in Indianapolis, Indiana. K2M Design officially acquired InterDesign on May 1, 2017, onboarding a talented team of Architects, Interior Designers, Project Managers, a Landscape Architect and Leaders. The merger continues K2M’s drive to diversify their service offering with the addition of the senior living, higher education, and K-12 specializations. As a unified team, the firm will expand these specializations nationally throughout K2M’s well established network.
The firm is excited to share its collective service offerings with current and perspective client groups. “Having an opportunity to ensure the legacy and continue the growth of InterDesign with this exciting partnership is monumental in our history. An alignment of culture and goals made this acquisition a great fit for both company’s and we are excited to see the dynamic future unfold with the K2M team,” stated Phil Howard, President of InterDesign.
The current InterDesign staff of 16 professionals compliments K2M Design’s 66 Architects, Engineers, Interior Designers, Asset Managers, and Administration across the country. K2M Design‘s vibrant culture and strong industry relationships have propelled the firm in recent years led by Scott C. Maloney, AIA and Steven S. Grasley, PE. “We are excited to join forces with InterDesign. Their depth of talent and experience is a perfect complement to K2M. The expansion of markets and services is in direct alignment to the long term strategy of our firm,” commented Scott Maloney, Visionary Founder of K2M Design.
About K2M Design, Inc.
K2M Design, Inc. is an award-winning architecture, engineering, interior design, facilities consulting, and specialty services firm that is passionate about people and projects. Celebrating their 15 year anniversary on September 1, 2016, K2M Design continues to flourish; growing staff, office locations and market sectors across the country. In addition to Indianapolis, you will find K2M offices in Cleveland, Columbus, Charlotte, Baltimore, Bentonville, and three in the Florida Keys. Focused on building relationships with clients that are based on trust and results, K2M is committed to being an active partner from project start to finish and beyond.
About The InterDesign Group InterDesign, an architectural design and planning services firm, is a headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, was established in 1975, InterDesign provides comprehensive professional design services for Higher Education, K12 Education, Healthcare/Senior Living, Governmental, Corporate/Commercial, Non-Profit/Faith Based and Design-Build Criteria. Visit www.interdesign.com for information.
K2M Design is honored to have been a sponsor of the Smart Culture Awards, Smart Business’s Inaugural event. At K2M, we believe that our culture differentiates us in the market and is a competitive advantage to recruiting and retaining great talent.
We are an award-winning architecture, engineering, interior design, asset management, and specialty services firm where there are two essentials: People and Projects. We call it the Power of 2. Our philosophy is to take the best possible care of our people so they take the best possible care of our projects. Through creativity, innovation, spirit and performance, our professionals are constantly seeking ways to challenge their limits and enhance their perspectives across our 9 offices and nearly 80 K2Mrs.
We take this passion for our people and our work and bring this to the world every day as The Culture Architect, creating environments for businesses that are reflective of their vision, shared values, and desire to improve communication, culture, and operational efficiencies. By identifying the uniqueness of your business: who you are, what you do, and what you believe in, we use our specialized visioning process to create dynamic work spaces that reflect your unique culture through architecture and interior design. We blend our entrepreneurial, business mindset with creativity to shape environments that are proven to have a bigger return on investment and a greater impact on the people and culture that is created.
We’d like to thank each of the businesses that participated and were honored at the event for making a positive impact on your people. They are our most valuable resource and need to remain at the forefront of our focus. Keep Crushing It.
The renovated hotel now features an M Club, an upscale space for Marriott Rewards members, which is outfitted with custom fixtures and furnishings that allow guests to unwind and connect in a private and welcoming space.
Curb appeal is key
