Granite Farms Estates, an ACTS Retirement-Life Community (Media, Pa.), is an established Pennsylvania retirement community near the historic Delaware County village of Wawa and 30 minutes away from Center City Philadelphia. Built in the late 1980s, the campus was in need of a reinvention. The purpose of the renovations was to provide an upgraded Oakbridge Terrace (assisted living) product in a neighborhood style on the first and second floors and to create large, high-end independent living apartments on the third and fourth floors. The club room space was part of this campus-wide major renovation project; the building where the club room is located is the farthest away from the main clubhouse space, which made those apartments the least desirable. Granite Farms decided to create more warm and welcoming common spaces that people really wanted to spend time in.

Prior to the renovation, the community took over one apartment and converted it into a “club room” to try to give residents a destination. However, the space was still closed off from the corridor, and wasn’t very welcoming. Granite Farms held resident focus groups to determine what amenities would be desirable, both in the new apartments as well as the common spaces. The results of these meetings are reflected in the new space. The interior design is perhaps a bit of a departure from other senior living communities, and even other spaces within Granite Farms, and the design promotes social interaction between the residents.

The new and improved club room creates an open and inviting space that encompasses a screening room, beverage/bar counter, gaming, and lounge areas. The room functions as an event space, where residents can watch sporting events, movies, derby races, and more, or just a place to come together with other residents and enjoy fellowship. A catering kitchen is provided for potluck dinners, and with the addition of dumbwaiter access to a commercial kitchen downstairs, this space can be turned into a pop-up dining venue to provide more variety in the dining program.

To enhance the welcoming feeling, the design team pushed the boundary of this space out into the corridor, thus acting as a wayfinding beacon to break up the long, narrow corridors of the existing architecture. The reception of this space has been overwhelmingly positive and 85 percent of the units have been sold since construction was completed two months ago.

Cost per square foot: $185

Photography: Alise O’Brien Photography 2017 (after images)