Industry Voices

By Ray Yancey The American Lung Association’s recent “State of the Air” report shows that millions of adults age 65 and older live in high-risk areas in terms of levels of outdoor ozone, particle and other pollutants.  Cleaner, healthier air — both outside and indoors — should be a priority. Architects and designers have an important role when creating senior living communities to help residents live longer, healthier lives. This includes air quality. When collaborating with senior living community owners and operators, commercial design and planning groups should identify the …

By Bob Hankin Over the past several years, sustainability and energy efficiency have been key differentiators and quality indicators within the multifamily housing industry. However, the seniors housing industry has been slower to adopt these priorities — despite the benefits for residents’ health and wallets (which is particularly important for seniors living on a fixed income).  From smart building technology to building design techniques, innovations in environmentally conscious development have the potential to transform the senior living experience, while also reducing long-term costs for developers and ensuring a better tomorrow …

By Phil Brusk and Caleb Vahcic The seniors housing sector can’t seem to catch a break. Owners grappling with staffing shortages and other operational hardships lingering from the pandemic are facing new challenges related to debt and spiraling costs. High interest rates and loan maturations loom over the industry, with $19 billion in loans coming due within the next 24 months, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s “H1 2024 Market Trends and Investor Survey” on senior living and care. Factors driving high costs include wage pressures, inflation and — incredibly — …

Jason Dopoulos and Ken Gould, co-founders of Cleveland-based Ikaria Capital Group, have ambitious plans for their fledgling company, which specializes in financing skilled nursing and seniors housing facilities. The duo is intent on their firm becoming the No. 1 lender in HUD’s Section 232 program, which provides mortgage insurance for residential care facilities such as assisted living facilities and nursing homes. “We want to be the No. 1 HUD lender within three years. We want to do $1 billion to $1.5 billion of bridge loans a year, and we want …

Founded in 1954 and based in Hamilton, New Jersey, Spiezle Architectural Group is a firm that provides architecture, interior design, construction, furniture procurement, engineering and landscape design services. With 120 employee-owners, the firm operates out of five offices and offers design services nationwide and internationally.  Seniors Housing Business spoke with Steve Leone, a principal at the firm, to hear about Spiezle, its approach to acute healthcare and senior living projects and Cathedral Village, a project in Philadelphia.  SHB: Spiezle provides a variety of services including architecture, interior design, construction services, furniture procurement, …