New South Completes GA Senior Communities

By Jeffrey Steele

General contracting firm New South Construction Company has completed construction of two Georgia senior living communities. The Glen at Lake Oconee in Greensboro and Thrive at Frederica in St. Simons are the latest to join New South Construction’s portfolio of senior living communities across the Southeast United States.

The Glen

The Glen at Lake Oconee is a 127,000-square-foot, 118-unit community for those wanting independent living, assisted living and memory care. It is in Reynolds Plantation, a luxury resort nestled within a natural setting on Lake Oconee. Amenities include exercise rooms, salon, full-service kitchen and sophisticated dining rooms.

“Our biggest construction challenge at the Glen involved various fire code interpretations with the state fire marshal, county inspector and Lake Oconee’s governing body. Specifically, there were questions over the mix of wood and steel in the design,” New South commercial construction project manager Cameron Thomas told MHN.

“We conducted coordination meetings with all involved parties to understand what needed to be done and develop a plan. Furthermore, New South Construction brought on a well-respected and extremely qualified fire protection consultant, Jensen Hughes, to assist in resolving the issue.”

Thrive at Frederica is a 92-bed facility offering 54,000 square feet of new construction to complement 26,000 square feet of renovated space. Serving those with memory care and assisted living needs, Thrive at Frederica offers a relaxing ambiance in a resort-like setting. An amenity suite including private dining room, recreation spaces, beauty and barber salon and advanced call systems complements luxurious private rooms.

“Thrive’s site was very tight with very little lay down area and limited parking. We also faced the issue of constructing a commercial building next to residential homes and had to ensure we did not hinder the neighbors’ lifestyles. Finally, there was the challenge of renovating an old building and connecting it to the new building,” Thomas said.

“We were in constant communication with the subs on the project and held regular meetings to coordinate material deliveries. We kept a large delivery log on site so everyone knew when deliveries would arrive. To keep the neighbors happy, we adhered to a strict work schedule and avoided activity during certain times of the day. The design team came up with a plan to connect the two buildings seamlessly, making sure the building satisfied ADA requirements. There was also an unforeseen structural support issue, so the steel team met with the structural engineer to find a way to implement new beams into the old building while meeting code.”

New South Understands the drivers behind current senior living construction trendssenior living construction trends, said Greg Almquist, CEO of Almquist Hansen LLC, the developer of The Glen at Lake Oconee. “On each of our communities, New South works with us as partners to create dynamic senior communities where living is easy for all levels of need.”

“We sincerely appreciate New South’s commitment to the project schedule and budget,” said Thrive Development Partners’ managing partner Scott Hundley, whose company developed Thrive at Frederica. “They executed the designer’s vision perfectly, and we couldn’t be happier with the finished product.”

New South is delighted to be part of these unique, resort-quality retirement facilities, said the company’s president Huntly Gordon. “We’re proud to deliver modern luxury accommodations for future residents,” Gordon added.

Founded in 1990, Atlanta-based New South Construction Company is a mid-sized general contracting firm that provides construction services in multifamily as well as in markets ranging from education to religion, criminal justice, aviation and industrial.