By Erick Hartzell, Brinkmann Constructors Project Manager
For Building Dialogue
Atria Westminster Senior Living gives residents upscale living with features like walking paths, gardens and activity rooms. The 125,000-square-foot assisted living community in Westminster was completed this spring and is open for residents to move in. The five-story, 137-unit senior living community is from Anthology Senior Living, the senior living investment and development division of CA Ventures, a Chicago-based real estate investor.
On this $27 million project, our team was able to save Anthology Senior Living more than $1 million by analyzing and incorporating a different building and structural system component.
The project team used a light-gauge (Infinity) system instead of the classic steel and concrete. The advantage? It increases speed of construction and saves on material costs while retaining quality. We completed the project in 16 months.
Another unique feature of the project is the pedestrian bridge constructed over an agricultural irrigation canal. This allows residents to easily access nearby retail and restaurants at Westminster City Center.
But no construction project is without its challenges.
On site, the Brinkmann project team discovered significant groundwater approximately 10 feet down, flowing heavily on top of bedrock. The bedrock varied in elevation, adding to the issue. And while the presence of groundwater isn’t uncommon, the challenge in this location was that it was moving quickly instead of standing still.
The Brinkmann team had to work through this issue, so a water mitigation expert was contracted to assess the situation, and it ultimately used unique dewatering approaches to enable construction to move forward.
Atria Westminster Senior Living, and Englewood Senior Living in Englewood, which was built concurrently, were Anthology Senior Living’s entrance into senior living facilities in Colorado. We have built nine projects for the developer, including other senior living facilities and student housing builds.
“I manage the construction of senior living communities throughout the country, and the Westminster senior living project was the smoothest running project I have been a part of to date,” said Vern Case, senior director of construction management for CA Senior Management LLC. “The project team was always looking months ahead. It was a pleasure to be part of a job that finished on time and under budget. The Brinkmann team maintained a great project environment, with warm interaction amongst the ownership, design, and contractor teams throughout the duration of the project.”
Assisted living units at Westminster range from 410-sf studios to 970-sf two-bedroom units, with memory care studios ranging from 275 to 310 sf. Indoor amenities include a formal dining room, bistro pub, fitness center, theater and various activity rooms.
Like all Anthology Senior Living communities, there are high-end finishes throughout, like stainless steel appliances and fixtures, quartz countertops, tile backsplashes, decorative sconces and recessed lighting, and common areas designed for engaging with other residents and visitors. Outdoor amenities include 3.5 acres of green space, a sky lounge, patios, a garden, walking paths and terraces.
