Meeks Partners Seeks to Raise Bar for Independent Senior Living Communities

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorHouston, Plano, Alden Bridge, Texas–Houston-based Meeks Partners has designed three luxury independent senior living facilities in Houston, Plano and Alden Bridge, Texas that hope to set a new bar in the independent senior housing category. Conservatory Senior Living will manage all three projects, which feature one- and two-bedroom units ranging from 561 sq. ft. to 1,237 sq. ft. with rents from $2,400 to $4,000 that include one meal. Units in all three communities have been occupied since early this year and the leasing process is still in progress.“Texas is a strong market for the seniors housing product,” Don Meeks, CEO and head of design services, tells MHN. “With these projects, we set out to reach a new level for independent senior living. The biggest challenge was setting the bar higher but making them affordable to our target buyers.”Meeks adds, “Most of the projects in this category have a very institutional and medical clinic-kind of feel, and there are a lot of people retiring right now who live in beautiful homes and should not have to compromise.”The 237-unit Conservatory at Alden Bridge (pictured first from top) draws inspiration from the classic Italianate century old buildings that dot the Italian Riviera. The community uses some of the common building elements that define Mediterranean architecture such as stone, terracotta tile and arches. Other features include rich brick, masonry, warm Sienna color palettes, stones, and arcades of slender columns carrying arches. Balconies, rotundas, bay windows and cornices add to the visual impact.The community offers a 32,691-sq.-ft. community center with a game room, crafts center, beauty/barber shop, library, fitness/therapy center, 40-seat movie theatre, dining hall, bistro and lounge area. In addition, there is brain fitness center, where residents can solve puzzles and play games on computers.The 222-unit Conservatory at Plano (pictured to left) spans across 6.89 acres and features 32 units per acre. The property features Spanish Colonial architecture that blends into the surrounding residential neighborhood, while creating a sense of old-world elegance. It features stucco archways, recessed loggias, balconies and heavy wood beams.A two-story atrium leads to the 25,596-sq.-ft. community center that offers a game room, crafts center, beauty/barber shop, library and fitness/therapy center, dining hall, a brain fitness center, 40-seat theatre, bistro and lounge area.The 190-unit Conservatory at Houston (pictured third from top) offers 35 units per acre on 5.31 acres. The Class A community’s interiors feature fine art reproductions, tapestries, brocades, leather and plush furnishings. Amenities include a dining hall, private dining room and bistro café. A three-story 23,230-sq.-ft. community center includes a game and card room, an arts and crafts center, business and brain health center, beauty/barber shop, library, 40-seat movie theatre and an on-site wellness center. In addition, the project offers a pool.The average age of residents in this community is 75 years.