Eastcastle Place is planning an expansion that would add about 30 new apartments to its senior living campus on Milwaukee’s East Side.
The plan includes reconfiguring and consolidating existing areas within the Eastcastle complex, located at the intersection of East Bradford and North Downer avenues, to create space for the new units.
The proposed addition – called Lake Drive Estates – would be built within Eastcastle’s Watertower building. It would be the third apartment “neighborhood” on the campus, which includes its historic building, an adjacent contemporary building and the Lake Drive Estates. Eastcastle offers independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing care.
The campus includes its original Victorian Gothic 1892 building, which was designed by renowned Milwaukee architects Henry Koch and Herman Esser. The proposed addition would reflect Eastcastle’s “historic charm and distinctiveness” while featuring modern amenities, the organization said.
The plans call for 17 two-bedroom apartments, 13 one-bedroom apartments, a bar and lounge, renovated fitness center and multipurpose spaces. The units will be independent living, entrance-fee apartments.
Eastcastle Place said the expansion will allow the nonprofit organization to uphold its mission while remaining competitive at a time when the assisted living and senior care industry faces significant challenges, including low government reimbursement rates, a severe workforce shortage and a swelling patient population.
“This allows us to stay true to our mission and vision by taking a longer-term, holistic approach to planning for the future, continuing to deliver exceptional senior living care, amenities and services,” the organization said.
The plan involves relocating and consolidating assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing care into one area of the campus – the Bradford Terrace building. The first, second and third floors of the Bradford Terrace would be remodeled and designated for assisted living, while the fourth floor would become a “memory support neighborhood.”
The campus’s health center would be “right-sized” and moved to the terrace’s fifth floor, with 20 licensed beds.
Construction is expected to begin around March 2022 and take up to 18 months. LCS Development will manage the project. AG Architecture is the project architect.
