Print Issue: November 28, 2002

St. George Retirement Community Receives Zoning Approval

By Erika Anderson, Staff Writer

ROSWELL - The City of Roswell recently approved the zoning for a Continuing Care Retirement Community affiliated with the archdiocese.

The project received its zoning Nov. 11, after attempting for over a year. According to George Barrie, president and CEO of Catholic Construction Services, Inc., the difficulty came in establishing a zoning category for the CCRC, the first of its kind in Roswell. Initially they had applied for zoning in the category E-1, which is for single family homes. Catholic Construction Services worked with the City of Roswell to create a new category, R-3, specifically for a continuing care retirement community center.

The upscale facility, that is planned to provide 150 independent living units, 24 assisted living units, 30 skilled care units and 14 Alzheimer's units, will be built on the 102-acre campus that includes St. Peter Chanel Church, Blessed Trinity High School and Queen of Angels Elementary School. The location is Woodstock Road at Highway 92. The facility will also provide 10 units reserved for priests.

Plans for the CCRC began in August 2000 with a feasibility study by Greystone Development Co. of Irving, Texas, which determined there was an interest in a facility such as this.

Architects Rink, Reynolds, Diamond, Fisher, Wilson of Jacksonville, Fla., were chosen to design the project.

George Aulbach, who is serving on a pro-bono basis as the development manager, said that now that the zoning has been approved, the next step is to open a marketing office in close proximity to the site. He expects the office to open in early 2003. Those who have already expressed interest in the CCRC will be contacted by the marketing office in the next few months.

"We expect the marketing to move ahead quite quickly," Aulbach said. "We expect the units to be committed rapidly."

According to the architects, the community will be situated on 20 acres that will take advantage of the natural topography and landscape. Buildings will be arranged to maximize views around landscape, courtyards and plazas.

Architects say the independent living units are planned to offer six different floor plans ranging in size from 807 to 1,550 square feet. The apartments will be configured in three-story buildings with partial parking below.

The assisted living units are planned to offer three different floor plans ranging in size from 450 to 550 square feet on the first floor of a two-story building. These residents will be provided with a centrally located common area consisting of a living room, library, television room, arts and crafts area and dining room.

The 30 skilled beds in private and semi-private arrangements will have similar common service and support elements that are state regulated. There will also be 14 Alzheimer's units with a secure courtyard and additional common support services.

A single-story, 20,500 square-foot community center will be centrally located on the site, according to the architects. The center will house the main gathering space for the independent living residents. These areas will be provided to serve only the residents of this community and will consist of a living room, convenience store, card room, arts and crafts room, auditorium, beauty salon/barber shop and a mailroom. In addition, the community center is planned by architects to contain the main administrative offices, a commercial kitchen, auditorium and laundry room, plus employee, maintenance, storage and other support areas. There will also be a fine dining room and lounge/café.

A single-story, 10,000 square-foot wellness center will be provided for the exclusive use of this community, according to the architects. The center will contain an indoor pool, fitness room, aerobics/dance room, changing/shower rooms and spa.

A full-service program is planned, which will include daily meal credit for either the dining room or café, weekly housekeeping and linen service, utilities, apartment maintenance, priority access to assisted living and skilled nursing at a discounted rate, security and 24-hour call system, scheduled transportation, use of all common areas and wellness and activities programming.

"It's a beautiful project for elderly folks," Aulbach said. "They will be able to enjoy a carefree lifestyle in a garden-like setting."

Although the CCRC will be Catholic-oriented and will have a chapel, residents do not have to be Catholic.

Named St. George by Archbishop John F. Donoghue, the CCRC will be managed by Wesley Woods of Atlanta. Wesley Woods is a leader in geriatrics in the metro Atlanta area and is well respected for its experience in operating and developing continuing care and retirement communities, Aulbach said

According to Aulbach, the project will be funded by the residents themselves, who will pay an entrance fee to secure a unit. The residents will then pay monthly maintenance fees.

In addition to the residents' payments, the rest of the funding will come from tax-exempt bonds, which will be amortized from a portion of the residents' monthly maintenance fees, he said. Should a resident move out for any reason, 90 percent of the entrance fee will be refunded when the unit is re-occupied.

"This is not something that the archdiocese will have to fund," Aulbach explained. "This project will carry itself."

Construction cannot begin on the CCRC until 70 percent of its units are under contract, Aulbach said. The hope is to begin construction in early 2004 and have residents moved in in mid- to late summer 2005.

Barrie said that the support from the other facilities on the property has been great.

"They have been very, very energetic, optimistic and supportive in every way - the schools and the parish," he said.

Approximately 120 people have already expressed interest in the CCRC, and others who are interested may receive more information by calling (404) 885-7296.