The Gardens redevelopment project at Wesley Des Moines is complete! A decade in the making, the achievement marks a milestone for Wesley as the organization celebrates its 80th anniversary this year.
The achievement of this third and last phase on the south side of the campus brings exciting new living spaces and features to the community. These include new independent living apartments, Commons apartments with supportive Catered Living services, a new rehabilitation and care center, and assisted living memory care. Significantly, a lap pool and spa and the long-awaited Skywalk across South 216th Street were added.
Nancy Robertson has been a Wesley Des Moines resident since 2018. She was the first to move into the newly completed apartments. “My apartment is pleasant and cozy, with very high ceilings and a lot of light. Everything is conveniently accessible, from the exercise room and pool to the front lobby, chapel, Skywalk and care center,” explained Nancy.
“The redevelopment of the south side of the Wesley Des Moines campus upholds Dr. Logan’s vision for the future,” shared Wesley President / CEO Kevin Anderson. He reflected on Wesley Gardens founder Rev. Dr. Stanley Logan. Logan’s 1944 vision was to create a welcoming home for retirees of all faiths, offering community and the care they may need in their later years.
Redevelopment: A Decade in the Making
In April 2014, Wesley leaders met with InSite Architects and their developer, Senior Housing Partners. So began the master plan to redevelop the south side of the Wesley Des Moines community. Since many of the Cottages and apartments were occupied, they knew it would have to be a multi-phased approach.
“We wanted to maximize views and minimize resident relocations,” said Jill Krance, principal and lead architect from Minnesota-based InSite Architects. “Slopes, hidden underground tanks and the desire to save special trees were also considerations.”
There were three phases to the master plan. The first phase involved building new Cottage homes and a 24-unit, two story Brownstone apartment building. Construction began in December 2016 and lasted 16 months.
Construction for Phase II started just four months later. It featured a five-story independent living building with 151 apartments. Amenity spaces included a bistro and dining area, movie theater, creativity center, wood shop, salon, library, chapel, event center and a fifth-floor club room with views of Puget Sound. Over 50 residents relocated from the original 1953 Gardens building to the new Gardens building in August 2020.
Before construction could begin, the original Gardens building had to be demolished to make way for the Phase III addition. With less than 15’ between the buildings, construction crews double and triple checked the technical specifications of the demolition plan before the final section of the old building came down with no difficulties on January 9, 2021.
Exciting Developments in Phase III
Now complete, the final phase of The Gardens redevelopment features 18 Center Point independent apartments and 50 Commons apartments served by the Catered Living program. Additionally, there are 68 private and 2 semi-private Rehabilitation & Care Center suites and 26 assisted living memory care apartments in The Albert W. Carr Memory Care Center. The campus team met regularly for more than a year to meticulously plan every detail, from resident moves to setting up essential services like keys, mailboxes and Wi-fi.
“I’m excited about the future and about fostering a community where compassion and innovation come together to support the well-being and happiness of all,” said community Executive Director Ken Klotz.
Community Tours and Grand Opening Event
Nancy shared her excitement about the new additions. “Wesley Des Moines is a wonderful place to live. It’s a great location, and we have everything you could need or want. Don’t wait to move; do it now while you can take advantage of all the activities and wonder of living here. Come and see what it’s really like to live here,” she enthused.
To celebrate the completion of the Gardens redevelopment, Wesley is holding a Tailgate Grand Opening event on Saturday, September 14, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. In additional to self-guided tours of the new apartments and amenities, guests will enjoy top-notch tailgating cuisine, refreshing drinks, and live music. There will also be exciting prize drawings.
To RSVP, call (206) 926-8520 or visit the Des Moines Grand Opening event page.