Hometown Community
The Sunrise of Fairfield senior living community is an asset to the local community as the demographics continue to shift with an increase in the aging population. This allows more residents to stay in their town, be close to family and medical professionals, and provide 200 local jobs. The new 100-resident community is conveniently located in the town and provides easy access to retail, entertainment, and outdoor activities and staying connected to family and friends. The amenities include a wellness center with a therapy room, a private exam room, a movie room, a beauty salon, senior-friendly technology, gardens, and walking paths.
A Proven Team
Building on the successful relationship with Sunrise Senior Living and EGA Architects on several projects throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions, Wohlsen was selected to partner with the Sunrise / EGA team again for two new senior living communities that would be constructed simultaneously in Fairfield and Wilton, Connecticut. The team worked together to develop a conceptual design that would benefit the senior living residents as well as fit within the character of the town and the neighboring residential community. The architect, owner, and Wohlsen researched the local area’s overall architecture to ensure the building was a welcomed addition to the local neighborhood. Both projects kicked off with site work prep within two months of each other, and the construction phase of both Fairfield and Wilton began in March 2018. With two $20+ million projects under construction simultaneously, the need for teamwork and a collaborative working relationship had to be established very early in the project on the part of the client, design team, and Wohlsen. Mobile technology such as Fieldlens effectively managed quality control and safety, allowing for open and constant communication between all team members.
A Good Neighbor
Nearly any contractor would say challenges are unavoidable on projects, but how they respond separates successful teams. Challenges were faced throughout the project, being located adjacent to a residential neighborhood. We overcame these challenges by working collaboratively to communicate with local residents and maintain the budget and schedule to minimize the disruption. Buy-in from subcontractors to move to a six-day and sometimes seven-day workweek to maintain the schedule and deliver the project on time was essential to ensure a successful project with happy neighbors.
The project team ensured that the town officials and local neighbors were informed at all stages of the project. The team worked tirelessly to ensure the neighborhood’s general flow had minimal interruption during construction. Neighbors were encouraged to contact the team if any disruptions took place that were not communicated beforehand.
Seamless Integration Into the Neighborhood
An existing residential neighborhood, wetlands, stream, and the Lt. Owen Fish Park bordered the site of the new senior living community. The natural beauty of the area needed to be maintained. Sunrise teamed with a land planning consultant to develop a detailed and comprehensive Planting Plan. This plan called for installing a 6’ tall privacy fence at the property line along the residential homes, planting native shade and flowering trees, evergreen trees and shrubs, native groundcovers, annual flowers, and other ornamental plantings. The bank was stabilized to protect and enhance the neighboring stream, shrubbery was planted along the bank, and a conversation easement boundary was established. Additional site amenities include pollinator rain gardens, bird nesting boxes, and walking paths with benches to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
