New senior care facility proposed in North Liberty

After opening for business in 1988, the Colony Country RV Park closed its grounds to campers on June 1, making way for a new senior care facility to fill the eight acres.

'We want to maximize on the site and keep the beauty that exists,” said Julie Dancer, a partner of JTB LLC.

Dancer said plans are still being finalized with an architect, but the company hopes to keep the red barn that sits on the property as well as other features that exist from when the land was a campground.

Plans are being set to break ground on the estimated $20 million senior care facility, 1275 W. Forevergreen Rd., this fall, with an opening date planned for some time in 2015.

The facility, Keystone Place at Forevergreen, will be owned and managed by Indianapolis-based Keystone Senior LLC, alongside the local partners JTB. Keystone Senior also owns a senior care development in Cedar Rapids.

The development will have 120 to 125 units, she said, explaining that residents will have options for levels of care, including independent living, assisted living and memory care units for residents that suffer from dementia or similar conditions.

Residents in the independent and assisted living units can choose from one to two bedrooms apartments, while studio apartments will be available for assisted living and memory care residents.

The memory care units will have a higher staff-to-resident ratio as well as trained staff and programs to meet residents' individual needs.

'It's a very good place for it,” said Dean Wheatley, North Liberty city planner.

Wheatley said two neighborhood meetings were held to discuss the potential senior care facility - one that was put on by the city, which included residents who lived within 200 feet of the development, and one that was put on by the developers.

'There was nothing but positive comments at the good neighbor meeting,” Wheatley said, adding that area residents previously objected to the idea of a multifamily project at the same site.

Wheatley said that specific plans still have to be developed and filed for Keystone Place at Forevergreen, which will include the site layout and possible building designs. Dancer said the plans will hopefully be filed in August.

Two other senior care facilities already exist in North Liberty, the North Liberty Living Center and Jefferson Point.