Photos and information provided by The Gatesworth/McKnight Place

Just six short months after debuting its new, three-story, 102,000-square-foot expansion featuring 90 upscale apartment homes, the aptly renamed McKnight Place Assisted Living & Memory Care is celebrating the completion of the second phase of its $32 million investment project. The doors of the original McKnight Place building now open to 74,000-square-feet of completely renovated space. It features 18 additional assisted living suites and introduces the availability of dedicated memory care in 27 separate memory care suites, accessible via a different entrance, for residents with cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

“Today is special,” said Charles Deutsch, co-owner of The Gatesworth. “It represents the completion of many months of planning, hard work and dedication as we proudly expand our industry-leading senior care offerings with our new dedicated Memory Care community, where our devoted staff and memory care specialists are equipped to serve seniors of every level of cognitive ability. Through the work of our sister memory care community Parc Provence, we bring unrivaled experience to the fields of dementia and Alzheimer’s care.”

The 27 memory care and 18 additional assisted living suites feature large entry foyers, crown molding throughout, large bathrooms with 30" granite vanity countertops with a 36" wood wall cabinet for storage, nine-foot ceilings, individual temperature controls, spacious closets, and bay windows providing plenty of natural light.

The memory care suites are contained in a household design that allows residents to enjoy a secure and supportive lifestyle with daily activities that feels as familiar as home, with each resident having his or her own large suite with a private bath. The household provides an intimate and comfortable living environment with a dining room, living room, kitchen, activity room, sun room, spa, aviary and aquarium. This design also offers a beautiful garden with a fountain, so residents can comfortably experience nature within a safe environment. Residents also have access to the McKnight Place Memory Care Forget-Me-Not care program that focuses on the interests and abilities of each resident.

“We empower residents and enable them to succeed in life through social interaction, special events and trips, or any one of our many engaging, therapeutic activities,” noted Bob Leonard, Director of Operations for The Gatesworth Communities. “Our practices are built on knowing each individual resident’s strengths and customizing an active care program accordingly.”

The building housing the latest renovations connects seamlessly to the common area in new, three-story expansion that features a stately new assisted living entrance; a gracious community living room and lounge area with a view over the beautifully landscaped courtyard featuring a fountain; an elegant main floor dining room, café bistro and a private dining room; a large fitness/wellness gym; a 45-seat theater/chapel; card rooms; a billiard room; a full-service beauty salon; an art room; a greenhouse, and landscaped gardens with pergolas and a fountain. Supportive services that make life easier and more convenient, including on-site physical and occupational therapy and nursing care, are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

McKnight Place Assisted Living and Memory Care is located on the 15-acre continuum of care campus at The Gatesworth in University City. The two-phase expansion increased the footprint of The Gatesworth campus to over one-million square-feet of space that now offers seniors access to independent living, skilled nursing, assisted living and memory care options. More than 75 employees have been hired in the last six months to staff both assisted living buildings and fill memory care positions, bringing total employment on the campus to 400+.

GateCo Development served as the general contractor for this project. Chris Leonard, VP of Development and Construction for GateCo, led a team of senior housing development experts who handle all new construction and renovation projects within The Gatesworth campus. Additional members of the project team included the Lawrence Group (architect), the Sterling Company (civil engineering), Alper Audi, Inc. (structural engineering), Jarrell Mechanical Contractors (mechanical design-build contractor), Guarantee Electrical (electrical design-build contractor), Plumbing Planning Corp. (plumbing design-build contractor) and Ahern Fire Protection (fire protection design-build contractor). Funding for the project came in the form of financing from Greystone Mortgage of Manhattan, NY, and a HUD-insured mortgage. 

For more information on the new McKnight Place Assisted Living & Memory Care community, visit www.mcknightplace.com or call (314) 993-3333. For details on The Gatesworth community and its continuum of care services, visitwww.thegatesworth.com or call (314) 993-0111.