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By Fiona Morgan

fiona@amnews.com

Morning Pointe Senior Living of Danville held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new building on Wednesday.

The new building will mean an expansion of current services, and will be right across the street from their current facility. Morning Pointe of Danville opened in 2016, and this expansion is Phase 2 of its overall plan for the campus.

The current Morning Pointe building offers both assisted living and memory care services. The new building will offer assisted living onl. The current building will transition into an all-Alzheimer’s space. Both buildings will offer 24-hour nursing care.

Franklin Farrow, CEO and co-founder of Morning Pointe, said that the new space will have larger suites for senior living, and more amenities and activities. The Alzheimer’s unit in the current building will expand to where the building will only offer memory care services, with two levels of care.

The new building will be a single-level, 67,500 square-foot assisted living community. It will feature 72 apartments, 55 of which will be traditional assisted living apartments, and 17 will be suites with full kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms, with individual stackable washer/dryers.

The overall building design will be similar to the current one, with a drive-up entrance and shelter, dining and activity areas up front, and three courtyards. Rooms will go down all sides of the building, and each residents’ room will have a window. There are nine different resident floor plans, including some two-bedroom plans.

“The larger apartments we are planning for our more independent seniors in this new assisted living building reflect the changing needs of the population, and Danville will be the first community throughout our company where our seniors can benefit from these suites,” Farrow said.

Activities at the new building will focus on clinical care, with physical and occupational therapies, life enrichment, wellness offerings and intergenerational activities. It will also feature the Farm to Table program with local farm-fresh ingredients.

“The commitment to a lifetime of learning is what keeps the mind active, and extends the quality of life and age chronologically,” Farrow said.

The Boyle County High School Choir sang at the ceremony, with “Shenandoah” as the opening song, and “My Old Kentucky Home” as the closing song. The American Legion of Danville #18 led a flag ceremony and pledge of allegiance.

Lisa Keller, director of the new Assisted Living building, said Morning Pointe is committed to making meaningful impacts on their seniors.

“Morning Pointe of Danville is more than an assisted living community, or a personal care community; it’s an experience, it’s a journey, it’s a part where we are part of people’s lives, chapters of their lives that we are so very grateful to be a part of,” Keller said.

The expansion will create about 65 permanent healthcare positions, with a positive economic impact of more than $35 million annually, considering payroll, property taxes and local purchase of goods and services, according to a press release.

Greg Vital, president and co-founder of Morning Pointe, said he loves and is thankful for the Danville community, and said it allows Morning Pointe to be a great community within a great community.

“We could not be here today without a combination of the efforts of the public and private sector working together,” Vital said. “Good healthcare, good living, modern pharmaceuticals, exercise, wellness, good diet, all of those will be incorporated here at Morning Pointe, and they’re also part of a vibrant community, and that’s what Danville is trying to do.”

He thanked the local public servants, including those on Planning and Zoning, and Danville Mayor James J.H. Atkins.

Atkins spoke at the event, saying the city is excited about Phase 2, and any other expansions that may come after. Chamber of Commerce Director Jeff Jewel also spoke. He told a story of his mother’s time in an assisted living facility, and how much it helped her be at ease in her last years.

“I really understand how exceedingly important projects like this are to aging, having happy elder years, hopefully with your lovely orange tabby, and peace of mind for the family,” Jewel said.

Farrow and Vital also expressed their interest in connecting more with Centre College. Ellen Goldey, vice president for academic affairs and dean of Centre College, said that Centre would love to connect with Morning Pointe, and have students and faculty to interact more with that generation.

The new community will likely open in late 2024. It is located at 100 Birney Place in Danville, right near Millennium Park, Centre College, and the Boyle County Schools campuses.

Founded in 1996, Morning Pointe Senior Living has assisted living and memory care communities at 37 locations across five states. The new Morning Pointe of Danville will be the 12th location in Kentucky. Other Kentucky campuses are in Lexington, Louisville, Frankfort, Richmond and Russell.