Modern Upgrades, Refreshed Spaces
Eagerly anticipated by residents and staff, this transformative project marked the first major upgrade to the Brighton Gardens community since the original construction in 1997. Sunrise Senior Living, a long-time client of 番茄社区’s, engaged with us to provide preconstruction services for the project and ultimately awarded the construction phase to our team. The renovation had one clear goal: improving the resident experience at Brighton Gardens. From the resident rooms to the amenities and shared spaces, the renovations aimed to completely refresh outdated areas, adding new amenities and modernizing the community to better serve both current and future residents. The Brighton Gardens of Columbia, A Curated by Sunrise Renovation project, not only transformed the physical space but also improved the quality of life for residents who call Brighton Gardens home.
A Comprehensive Renovation
The renovations at Brighton Gardens included extensive work across all three floors. To reduce disruption for residents, we carried out the project in three phases. This phased approach allowed our team to complete demolition and move residents and staff into refreshed areas before progressing to the next phase, so residents could enjoy their updated spaces sooner. Phase one concentrated on the second floor, where we created a new memory care dining room, pantry, lounge, and activity room, along with renovating resident rooms on this floor. Having a new dining room and pantry on this floor was essential, as it enabled the memory care unit to be fully self-contained. Phase two split renovation work between the first and second floors. This included building a new terrace between existing structures for memory care residents, upgrading resident rooms, and updating common areas to add a new beauty parlor and arts and crafts room. Phase three mainly focused on the first floor, expanding the arts and crafts room, constructing four new resident rooms, renovating 16 existing rooms, refinishing staff offices, and updating the main lounge and entrance. During this phase, the third floor also received renovations, including corridor updates, library improvements, office renovations, and new finishes in the main third-floor dining room.
Overcoming Logistical Challenges with Creative Solutions
Performing complex renovation work in an occupied senior living community always presents unique challenges for our teams. At the start, our team developed a site-specific safety plan tailored to the unique challenges of working in an active senior living community, with resident and staff safety as the top priority. The team installed temporary partitions to separate and secure construction areas, conducted daily safety walks with the building manager to ensure all exits and entrances were locked and secured, and implemented clear wayfinding signage to communicate directional changes, active work zones, and restricted areas.
Beyond logistical challenges, our team encountered unforeseen conditions typical of renovation projects. During work on the second and third floors, they discovered that the existing concrete slabs were only 2.5 to 3 inches thick, significantly thinner than shown on the original drawings. This posed a serious challenge when bringing machinery onto these floors, as the slab couldn’t support the necessary weight. Working collaboratively with subcontractor partners, our team identified and sourced alternative machinery to complete the work without impacting the schedule. Another significant challenge arose when constructing the new structural terrace for the memory care wing during the rainy winter of 2024. Mud and unstable soil conditions made placing steel beams and columns difficult as the equipment lift kept getting stuck. Our team creatively solved this by locating and renting composite road plates to create a stable path for the lift equipment. They also built a temporary semi-translucent insulated weather barrier around the new terrace construction area to maintain consistent temperatures in adjacent occupied buildings during the terrace work, keeping residents comfortable and the project on schedule.
Bringing Fresh Air to Memory Care
A key highlight and significant upgrade at Brighton Gardens was the addition of a new terrace off the second-floor memory care unit. This carefully designed outdoor space offers memory care residents a secure area to enjoy fresh air and go outside, something they previously lacked. The terrace’s construction was a major highlight for both current and prospective residents, as it significantly improved the quality of life within the memory care unit. Our team was dedicated to overcoming weather and structural challenges to deliver this essential amenity. Despite completing construction during winter with tough site conditions, we applied innovative solutions, including temporary enclosures and specialized materials, to complete the project on time. The completed space transformed the memory care experience by providing a safe, accessible outdoor environment that enhanced residents’ therapeutic needs. This new terrace reflects the project’s core mission: enhancing residents’ quality of life through thoughtful design and construction solutions customized for the needs of senior living communities.
