The Berlin Development Review Board approved zoning applications for 98 units of senior housing—the first project of its kind in Berlin, designed to include both independent and assisted living, as well as memory care, all under one roof.
Through a unique relationship, Dousevicz, a developer of over 500 of senior housing throughout Vermont, and Heidenberg Properties Group, the owners of the Berlin Mall and approximately 3,000,000 SF of retail properties, are combining efforts to develop the senior housing at the Berlin Mall. The project will be located adjacent to the existing Mall buildings. “Our vision is to create a vibrant town center where people of all ages live, work and play in a way that embraces community and celebrates life in Central Vermont, and this senior housing project perfectly fits with this plan,” said Ken Simon, VP of Real Estate for Heidenberg Properties Group.
“We are excited to now work with the State and the Town to usher the project through the standard next steps including, for example, navigating Act 250,” said Brad Dousevicz of Dousevicz, Inc.
The site is served by public transit, water and sewer, and is easily accessible to Central Vermont Medical Center, numerous physicians, a full-service grocery store, as well as a wide assortment of retail products and services at Walmart, JCPenney, Kohl’s, and other mall shops. Planet Fitness offers a full exercise facility, and Passumpsic Savings Bank offers a full line of financial products and services, as well as convenient drive-through. This project is an important step towards realizing the Town’s goal of creating a mixed-use, pedestrian friendly town center, as expressed in the Town Plan adopted by Berlin’s residents this summer.
Independent living communities are perfect for seniors wanting to go about their everyday lives with some help in the areas of housekeeping, meal preparation and transportation. Assisted living offers all the benefits of independent living, in a secure and licensed environment where medication is administered, and personal healthcare is coordinated. The secure and licensed memory housing is specifically designed for seniors with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other memory impairment, and features specialized programming for memory impairments, and staff trained to handle the challenges of memory loss.
According to U.S. Census figures, Vermont’s population is the second oldest in the nation. In the next decade, Vermont is projected to add another 100,000 people to the 60-and-older age group, a 16% increase. The number of Vermonters 85-and-older is expected to double by 2030.
“We’re anticipating this project will create a lot of good local jobs—both during construction and when operational, as well as significantly contribute to our municipal and state tax bases,” added Simon.
