10-22-2013 08:37 PM

Trailing parents, grandparents fuel $33M Tallgrass Creek expansion


Rendering of Tallgrass Creek's $13 million, 134,000-square-foot building that will add 87 assisted-living apartments to the retirement community.




Overland Park's quality of life and job opportunities are attracting a wave of young adults, and that group has a following of its own — older family members.
That's one factor driving a new construction blitz at Tallgrass Creek, a retirement community that opened in 2007 at 13800 Metcalf Ave.
"Younger adults are moving to the area, and their parents and grandparents are following them," said Peter Crane, executive director at Tallgrass Creek. "We have a lot of residents who are not native to this area, but they want to be near their kids and grandkids."
The Overland Park retirement community reported Tuesday that it would break ground on a $13 million, 134,000-square-foot building that will add 87 assisted-living apartments to the community, which opened with 226 assisted-living apartments in two 130,000-square-foot buildings.
"The existing apartments are now fully occupied, and there are 160 people on the waiting list," Crane said. "The addition will accommodate another 140 residents when it's completed next year."
And that's not the only expansion going on at Tallgrass Creek.
Next month, the community will open the first phase of a new $20 million, 100,000-square-foot continuing care neighborhood. It will include 28 more assisted-living apartments. The second phase will include 28 memory-care apartments and 44 skilled-nursing units.
Tallgrass Creek, which also includes a 55,000-square-foot clubhouse with office and dining facilities, is one of 16 retirement communities owned nationally by Erickson Living, which purchased the communities following the previous owners' 2009 bankruptcy reorganization.
Rob reports on real estate and development.


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