Providing Extra Care at Givens Estates

Marketing Part of Builder's Job on $59 Million Project in Asheville

Rodgers Builders puts communication skills to the test as it builds and markets a $59 million expansion at Givens Estates, a continuing-care retirement community in Asheville, N.C.

by Bea Quirk

Now working on its sixth continuing-care retirement community in North Carolina, Charlotte-based Rodgers Builders has learned that good communication and people skills are especially important for such projects, and are the kinds of skills these clients value.

"The people at Rodgers are articulate and knowledgeable and have been able to step up to the plate to handle PR and communication with all our constituencies," said Ken Partin, executive director of Givens Estates, a continuing-care facility in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville and the contractor's latest retirement community project. "They can explain what they're doing, why they're doing it and how it will look in a way that instills confidence."

Rodgers began construction last summer on an addition and renovation to Givens Estates. The $59 million project - the biggest Rodgers broke ground on last year and one of the largest ever in Asheville - includes a six-story, 355,242-sq.-ft. building with 139 apartments, public areas, administrative offices, a swimming pool and kitchen-dining room. Also being built are 59 stand-alone cottages.

The community currently features 211 apartments and 130 health-care units for residents who need assisted living, skilled nursing and memory-support services. After the new construction is completed in fall 2005, work will start on renovating areas of the existing building.

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Givens Estates is owned and operated by the United Methodist Church. Because of its nonprofit status, the expansion was eligible for North Carolina tax-exempt bonds through the state's Medical Care Commission. In a complex financing arrangement, residential units must be sold and financed as they are being built.

That has meant that Rodgers has been taking an active role in marketing efforts.

On past assisted-living projects, the contractors has even given tours and made presentations to residents and potential buyers. "People are making a big commitment to buy here, and it's a huge life change," said Mike Mueller, Rodgers vice president. "People want to be able to picture clearly in their minds where they are moving."

Some of those who will be living in the new apartments and homes already live at Givens Estates, and so they're curious about what's going on. To keep residents from wandering in, Rodgers has fenced the construction area. The company is also meticulous about keeping the roads and main entrance it shares with residents clear and safe.

With the new building just 30 ft. away from the existing one (they'll be connected by a covered walkway), Rodgers is also being careful about noise and the activities of its crew, which currently numbers about 220. Whistling, hollering, smoking and foul language are prohibited, and once the building is up, drinking and eating inside will not be allowed.

"We are cognizant of the needs of the residents and employees," Muller said. "We are very client-oriented, and most of our work comes from referrals. We want our clients to say it was the best experience they ever had."

Communication skills were also important during the 18-month-long design-and-preconstruction process that the owner, Rodgers and the architect, FreemanWhite of Charlotte and Raleigh, went through before any construction began on the 20-acre site.

That strong working relationship came in handy when a problem arose during the permitting process. There are wetlands on the site, and before work could go on, an action plan for protecting them had to be approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the N.C. Department of the Environment and Natural Resources. Getting the required permits dragged on longer than anticipated and lead to a two-month extension of the completion date.

"It's disconcerting any time you have a glitch, but by having everyone at the table playing an important, responsible role and being comfortable with each other, we just worked on solving the problem, not on finger-pointing," Partin said.

By mid-January, the building's foundation was in, but the steel had to be kept at a constant temperature of about 40 degrees to be fireproofed, which wasn't easy in the winter. Workers draped the exterior shell in tarps. Kerosene heaters were used inside to maintain the temperature.

Foundation excavation also began in February on the 59 single-family homes adjacent to the main buildings. There are three basic floor plans, ranging in size from 1,960 to 2,474 sq. ft., featuring wood frames and brick veneer. Twenty of the homes will have basements, and homeowners can choose from a number of options, such as a fireplace, skylights, ceiling fans and a whirlpool tub. Rodgers will have one person dedicated to handle orders for these features.

Rodgers has built five other continuing-care retirement communities in North Carolina -The Pines at Davidson, The Forest at Duke, a 10-story addition at Sharon Towers in Charlotte, River Landing at Sandy Ridge in Colfax, N.C, and Belle Meade in Southern Pines, N.C.

Key Players:
Owner: United Methodist Church
Contractor: Rodgers Builders, Charlotte
Architect: FreemanWhite, Charlotte and Raleigh