A rendering of part of the expansion and renovation at the LifeCircles PACE senior health center in Muskegon. Courtesy LifeCircles
A health care center is embarking on a $5-million expansion and renovation to increase its capacity to serve seniors in the area.
The Muskegon-based LifeCircles Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE, said this week that the work will begin this June at its Tanglewood Park campus, at 560 Seminole Rd.
The project will include a 12,000-square-feet expansion and is scheduled to be completed next July.
The five-year-old LifeCircles provides a range of care to elderly living in Muskegon and north Ottawa County: a day center, medical clinic, homecare program and some case-management functions.
The center is supported by Mercy Health Muskegon, Porter Hills Retirement Communities and Services and Senior Resources.
Growth
The center has reached capacity, set by the state of Michigan, and it needs to grow its capacity from 225 to 350 individuals.
“We quickly realized there was a greater need than we could accommodate,” said Luke Reynolds, LifeCircles center manager and incoming executive director. “In order to accommodate extra people, we had to build a bigger facility.”
LifeCirlces also expects a 20-percent increase in various staff positions: administration, certified nurse’s aide, home health aides and nurses.
Most of the project’s funding is supported through operations, but the organization will also secure traditional financing, according to Reynolds.
Project
The work will yield an improved drop-off area and access to green space.
LifeCircles also expects an “environmentally sound infrastructure” and increased natural light to cut its operational costs.
The project will give the center “a very beautiful and welcoming environment,” Reynolds said.
Design
Progressive AE, an architecture and engineering firm, is working with LifeCircles on the project. The firm operates offices in Muskegon and Grand Rapids.
Progressive AE worked with LifeCircles’ staff and board on a visioning process to design the space.
“This project is tremendously rewarding for our team,” said Laurie Placinski, client leader and interior project designer at Progressive AE.
