Kennewick retirement community to undergo $1M in renovations

As long as Mother Nature cooperates, renovations will begin in April at Hawthorne Court, a senior living facility in Kennewick.

The retirement community at 524 N. Ely St. is home to more than 100 residents, and has a mix of apartments for independent and assisted living. It’s managed by Leisure Care, which has retirement communities across the country.

About a year ago, a team of managers, designers and construction specialists assessed the need to update the Kennewick facility’s common spaces and look for ways to improve operational efficiencies.

“We asked, ‘Are our furniture pieces correct? Can we make our lights brighter?’ ” said Nick Trujillo, construction management specialist with One Eighty Twist, the umbrella company that oversees Leisure Care. “We go through every detail as much as possible to see where we need to update certain areas.”

The most noticeable issue at Hawthorne Court was in the walk-through common areas, especially the lobbies and dining rooms, which sees a lot of wear and tear because of heavy traffic, Trujillo said.

One Eighty Twist hired Oregon-based ReKreate Hospitality Services LLC for the $1 million remodeling project. The plan is to update the main entries and add a bistro.

“We’re going to change it up with flooring transitions, and we’ll be updating the public restrooms right inside the entry. The pool area we’ll be touching up. A lot of paint, flooring and furniture in those spaces,” Trujillo said. “Our goal is to walk through the building and discuss what we would like to update. Then, we budget and allocate dollars to the areas that have the most positive impact.”

The common spaces are used for activities such as costume parties, dances and fitness classes as well as socializing.

Hawthorne Court will add a bistro to its main lobby after industry feedback over the past several years has pointed to the benefits, said Moya Grubbs, general manager.

“Residents can get a sandwich and have happy hour or coffee service. There will be chairs and tables and they can read the paper or watch the news. They don’t have to stay in their room, they can come out and be social with their community,” Grubbs said.

One Eight Twist welcomed input from residents, but the design team has the final say when it comes to color selection for the remodel, said Trujillo, adding that the company’s design team works specifically in senior housing and hospitality to better understand the needs of retirement community clients.

The general contractor is receiving proposals from subcontractors and construction is set to begin—pending the weather—this spring, with a completion date expected within eight to 10 weeks after work begins.

Grubbs said residents will barely feel the impact of construction because Hawthorne Court was a standalone apartment complex before being bought by Lytle Enterprises a few decades ago. The unique design means the retirement community has two dining kitchens, two dining rooms and two lobbies. In addition, independent living residents also have access to kitchens in their apartments if they want to avoid the remodeling project altogether.

“They can go shopping, buy groceries and cook at home so they don’t have to deal with the construction,” Grubbs said.

Hawthorne Court will continue to offer a variety of food options for all residents to ensure they have access to the food service they’re accustomed to, the company said. And while the common living areas are undergoing a facelift, Trujillo said apartment updates haven’t been forgotten. They’re being improved too, just at a slower rate as not to displace residents.

When tenants vacate apartments, Hawthorne Court updates cabinetry, fixtures and finishes, among other features. He said this will continue for at least a couple of years until all the apartments are refreshed.

About 60 apartments at Hawthorne Court are used by assisted living residents. Grubbs said the studio apartment is 384 square feet, while the one-bedroom is 524 square feet. Residents living independently can take advantage of the complex’s apartment space, Grubbs said.

“Our two-bedrooms are almost 1,650 square feet, and our one-bedrooms are anywhere between 700 and 900 square feet,” she said.

The retirement community welcomes seniors 62 and older, and the average age of residents is about 84 years. Hawthorne Court provides three meals a day and covers residents’ utilities bills. Phone and cable are not included.

For information on activities, tenant availability or a tour, go to leisurecare.com/our-communities/hawthorne-court.