A Washington state continuing care retirement / life plan community has donated $100,000 toward the construction of a new senior and community center that will be a combined resource for its residents and the greater community.
Emerald Heights, an Emerald Communities senior living community in Redmond, WA, made the donation toward a 52,000-square-foot senior and community center from its Board of Directors Community Grants Program. The program began in 2019 and has provided more than $1 million to 25 community organizations in Redmond and surrounding areas. The CCRC calculates the three-year average of investment income from its portfolio and commits to 10% of that average on an annual basis to the grants program.
Although the building is a city of Redmond facility, Emerald Heights residents will have access. The senior living community has supported the city through special projects throughout its history, including the city’s police, fire and parks departments. The fund also has supported the senior center’s “Rockin on the River” concert series.
“This particular project will be a benefit not only to seniors in the Redmond area, but will also be a resource for the entire Redmond community,” an Emerald Heights spokeswoman told McKnight’s Senior Living.
The center will feature a lounge, library, multipurpose community rooms, a commercial kitchen, cardio and weight rooms, an indoor track, group fitness studios, locker rooms, art and music classrooms, a coffee bar and a kid zone. The building also was designed to be sustainable, with eco-friendly building materials, including energy efficient mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems and appliances. A rooftop solar panel will provide more than half of the building’s energy needs.
“We believe this project will have a positive benefit not only for residents at Emerald Heights, but the greater Redmond community,” Emerald Heights Executive Director Grant Linacre said. “We are proud to be partnering with the city of Redmond and excited to help fund important initiatives like these.”
The Redmond Senior and Community Center is expected to be completed in May.
The spokeswoman said that the CCRC’s grant program targets annual donations to organizations that are providing services to the community that it believes align with its mission. Previous recipients have included Habitat for Humanity, University of Washington Alzheimer’s research, the Northwest Harvest food bank, Evergreen Hospice and the Sophia Way women’s shelter.
