Morning Pointe breaks ground on new building
Published at 2:52pm Tuesday, September 19, 2023
1 From 6
Written by Fiona Morgan
fiona@amnews.com
Morning Pointe Senior Living of Danville held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new building on Wednesday.
The new building will mean an expansion of existing services, and will be directly across the street from their current facility. Morning Pointe of Danville opened in 2016, and this expansion is the second phase of its comprehensive campus plan.
The current Morning Pointe building offers assisted living and memory care services. The new building will provide assisted living only. The current building will be transformed into a space dedicated to Alzheimer’s. Both buildings will provide 24-hour nursing care.
The new space will have larger suites for seniors, and more amenities and activities, said Franklin Farrow, CEO and co-founder of Morning Pointe. The Alzheimer’s Unit will expand in the current building to where the building will offer only memory care services, with two levels of care.
The new building will be a 67,500-square-foot, single-story assisted living community. It will feature 72 apartments, 55 of which are traditional senior living apartments, and 17 suites with full kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms, with individual stackable washers/dryers.
The overall design of the building will be similar to the current design, with a car entrance, shelter, dining and activity areas at the front and three courtyards. Rooms will be distributed on all sides of the building, and each resident’s room will have a window. There are nine different resident floor plans, including some two-bedroom plans.
“The larger apartments we are planning for more independent seniors in this new assisted living building reflect the changing needs of residents, and Danville will be the first community in our company where our seniors can take advantage of these suites,” Farrow said.
Activities in the new building will focus on clinical care, with physical and occupational therapies, life enrichment, wellness offerings and intergenerational activities. It will also feature a Farm to Table program with fresh, local farm ingredients.
“A commitment to lifelong learning is what keeps the mind active, extending quality of life and lifespan chronologically,” Farrow said.
The Boyle County High School Choir sang at the ceremony, with “Shenandoah” as the opening song, and “My Old Kentucky Home” as the closing song. Danville’s American Legion No. 18 led the flag and pledge of allegiance ceremonies.
Morning Pointe is committed to making meaningful impacts for seniors, said Lisa Keller, director of the new Assisted Living building.
“Morning Pointe of Danville is more than just an assisted living community, or a personal care community; it’s an experience, it’s a journey, it’s a segment where we’re part of people’s lives, chapters of their lives and we’re so grateful to be a part of it,” Keller said.
The expansion will create about 65 permanent health care positions, with a positive economic impact of more than $35 million annually, taking into account payroll, property taxes and local purchases of goods and services, according to a news release.
Greg Vital, president and co-founder of Morning Pointe, said he loves and is grateful for the Danville community, which he said allows Morning Pointe to be a great community within a great community.
“We could not be here today without the public and private sectors coming together,” Vitale said. “Good health care, good living, modern pharmaceuticals, exercise, wellness, good diet, all of that will be combined here at Morning Pointe, and they’re also part of a vibrant community, and that’s what Danville is trying to do.”
He thanked local public employees, including planning and zoning staff, and Danville Mayor James J. H. Atkins.
Atkins spoke at the event, saying the city is excited about Phase 2 and any other expansions that may come after that. Chamber of Commerce Director Jeff Joel also spoke. He told a story about his mother’s time in a nursing home, and how much it helped her feel good in her final years.
“I really understand how important projects like this are for old age, and having happy old years, hopefully with a beautiful orange tabby, and peace of mind for the family,” Jewel said.
Farrow and Vital also expressed interest in connecting further with Center College. The Center wants to connect with Morning Pointe and have students and faculty engage more with this generation, said Ellen Goldie, vice president for academic affairs and dean of Center College.
The new community will likely open in late 2024. It is located at 100 Birney Place in Danville, near Millennium Park, Center College and the Boyle County Schools campus.
Founded in 1996, Morning Pointe Senior Living has helped assisted living and memory care communities in 37 locations across five states. The new Morning Pointe of Danville will be the 12th location in Kentucky. Other campuses in Kentucky are located in Lexington, Louisville, Frankfort, Richmond, and Russell.