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The Glen: A Case Study

CCS Building Group completed a 144,000 square foot expansion in 2019, the newest dynamic addition to the facility after continuous improvements since 1995. Read more below to discover how The Glen has transformed over it's storied 25 years.
2018 - 2019

The Glen Building Expansion

The Glen Expansion project begins in April of 2018 after having initial 2006 design refined through CCS Design/ Build services to fit Willow Valley current needs. This expansion consisted of 6- stories (5 above grade + basement) steel and precast concrete plank structure, connecting the upper 5 floors together with the existing Glen facility. The 144,000SF new expansion continued the same occupancies from the existing floors out into the new building for consistency within the entire floor plate. 12,000SF was also renovated in the existing building, preparing for functions/ layout of the new building to better serve residents with a new commercial kitchen connected to all floors via freight elevator and easier access to administrative/ nursing staff suites. This project utilized a proprietary structural system to maximize ceiling heights in the new building, otherwise already set by the requirement to tie into the existing floor to floor heights. VRF mechanical systems also used for efficiency and energy cost savings to the owner. Both of these systems were a recommendation CCS Building Group during Design/ Build and a departure from Willow Valley’s typical building systems of the past. The new Glen building design focused on maximizing natural light with full height glass curtain-walls at the common areas of the building and offering all residents on all floors plenty of dining, activity and lounge spaces to allow them to spend more time outside of their rooms. This renovation also provided a more “private” room experience to each and every resident as even Semi-Private rooms, have their own bedroom and toilet, sharing only a shower with their semi-private neighbor. A new Skilled Care layout for Willow Valley, Couples Suites, was also introduced on Skilled Nursing Floors allowing couples to live together within the same Suite. The Glen Expansion building completed in November 2019 with 166 total beds, 51% (84 beds) Private Rooms, 2% (4 beds) Private Suites, 8% (14 beds) Couples Suites and 39% (64 beds) Semi-Private Rooms.

1995: The Glen at Willow Valley Opens

The Original Glen at Willow Valley opened in 1995 as the communities’ 3rd healthcare facility. The new building designed by RLPS Architects was a 120,000 SF, 5- story CMU and precast concrete plank structure with no intentions on expanding the facility. This facility mixed Skilled Nursing Care, Skilled Nursing-Memory Care, and Personal Care occupancies in the same building, separated the different uses on different floors. The building opened with a total of 280 beds, with 13% (38 beds) as Private Rooms.

2008: The Glen Parking Garage Opens

Plans for an expansion to the original Glen building started to take shape in 2006, eliminating many team members and resident parking spaces to be used for construction and ultimately the new expansion building footprint. With Design/ Build services provided by CCS Building Group, in 2008 Willow Valley was able to plan and construct a 3- Level, 63,000 SF, 183 space precast concrete parking garage structure adjacent to the Glen Facility to relocate team member parking.

2009 - 2012: The Glen Renovations - 7 Phase Renovation of 5 Floors

With economic changes of 2008, Willow Valley Communities decides to sideline the expansion project to The Glen at Willow Valley and focus on a complete renovation to the existing building. Once again, CCS Building Group guided with them Design/ Build services to allow Willow Valley Communities to accomplish a complete renovation of all common areas and resident rooms within the occupied building. The renovation was split into 13 phases over 36 months, allowing Willow Valley to continue to maximize the number of beds occupied and minimize rooms/ areas under construction at any given time. Key parts of this renovation project included room conversions from Semi-Private Rooms to Private Rooms, the addition of country kitchens/ dining spaces, the addition of new freight elevator/ shaft on the interior of building from 1st floor to roof, and exterior site improvements like Memory Care Floor courtyard renovations. This renovation completes leaving the facility with 255 total beds, with 19% (49 Beds) as Private Rooms.

2018: The Glen and Manor North Campus Site Utility Relocation

The expansion to the Glen at Willow Valley comes back to the forefront for plans to start construction in the Spring of 2018. In anticipation of building foundation/ site work to begin, all utility mains (natural gas, electric, communications, domestic water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer) had to be relocated out of the new building footprint and reconnected. This project was completed while working through the winter months and the removal of extensive subsurface bedrock, in a 14-week schedule. CCS foresight utilized temporary utility services and planned for short shutdowns for reconnection, minimizing impact to Glen and Manor North campus independent living residents and staff parking/ access and loading dock/ receiving operations.

2018 - 2019: The Glen Expansion

The Glen Expansion project begins in April of 2018 after having initial 2006 design refined through CCS Design/ Build services to fit Willow Valley current needs. This expansion consisted of 6- stories (5 above grade + basement) steel and precast concrete plank structure, connecting the upper 5 floors together with the existing Glen facility. The 144,000SF new expansion continued the same occupancies from the existing floors out into the new building for consistency within the entire floor plate. 12,000SF was also renovated in the existing building, preparing for functions/ layout of the new building to better serve residents with a new commercial kitchen connected to all floors via freight elevator and easier access to administrative/ nursing staff suites. This project utilized a proprietary structural system to maximize ceiling heights in the new building, otherwise already set by the requirement to tie into the existing floor to floor heights. VRF mechanical systems also used for efficiency and energy cost savings to the owner. Both of these systems were a recommendation CCS Building Group during Design/ Build and a departure from Willow Valley’s typical building systems of the past. The new Glen building design focused on maximizing natural light with full height glass curtain-walls at the common areas of the building and offering all residents on all floors plenty of dining, activity and lounge spaces to allow them to spend more time outside of their rooms. This renovation also provided a more “private” room experience to each and every resident as even Semi-Private rooms, have their own bedroom and toilet, sharing only a shower with their semi-private neighbor. A new Skilled Care layout for Willow Valley, Couples Suites, was also introduced on Skilled Nursing Floors allowing couples to live together within the same Suite. The Glen Expansion building completed in November 2019 with 166 total beds, 51% (84 beds) Private Rooms, 2% (4 beds) Private Suites, 8% (14 beds) Couples Suites and 39% (64 beds) Semi-Private Rooms.

2020 - 2021: The Glen Renovations

Beginning in March 2020 the original Glen building will again be renovated updating both resident rooms and common areas to meet the current needs of Willow Valley and make better transition to the new Glen Expansion product now connecting at each floor. In total, 105,000 SF on all 5 floors of the building are to be renovated as part of a 7- phase, 20-month schedule. This renovation of the Glen building focuses most on the conversion of all remaining Semi-Private rooms to Private Rooms, Private Suites. Once completed the Original Glen Building will be a total of 139 beds, 84% Private Rooms (117 beds), and 16% Private Suites (22 beds).