By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — A new senior living community with both independent accommodations and units for residents who need more personalized care is coming to a 5-acre plot at the corner of McFarland Road and Broadcast Parkway behind Peak Sports Club.
The 115-unit complex at 4502 McFarland Road is being developed on a vacant lot by Avenue Development in partnership with Encore Senior Living, which will operate the facility once it’s open.
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Avenue Development plans to submit for its building permits this week with hopes of starting construction in late spring or early summer, according to Joy Skidmore, development manager for Avenue Development. Construction is expected to last about 18 months.
Plans submitted to Loves Park show a three-story independent living facility with 60 residences. There is also a single-story building with 30 assisted living units and 25 residences and a courtyard for memory care, which is designed to provide specialized care for people with memory issues such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.
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Representatives of Encore Senior Living couldn’t be reached last week or this week.
The company operates 43 communities in Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan and Minnesota, according to its website. This is its first community in the Rockford region, and it will be its fifth in Illinois. Its nearest facilities are in McHenry and Crystal Lake.
The company serves roughly 2,000 residents and employs nearly 1,600 people.
The past year has shown record demand for senior housing after the pandemic brought record lows in occupancy, according to a report from the National Investment Center for Senior Housing & Care.
Demand is expected to continue to grow as baby boomers continue to age.
The first baby boomers turned 65 about a dozen years ago, and by 2035 the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the population of people 80 and older will grow to nearly 24 million people.
According to the NIC report, approximately 25,000 to 40,000 additional housing units will be required across the country annually from now until 2030 to accommodate the increasing demand as baby boomers age.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas