J.J. Carroll Development: An Aging Apartment Complex Becomes a New Model for Healthy Living
Sometimes, an exciting opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of others is right in front of you — or right next door. That was the case with 2Life Communities’ new project to redevelop the John J. Carroll apartment complex located adjacent to our campus on Chestnut Hill Avenue in Brighton.
The project, a partnership between 2Life Communities and the Boston Housing Authority (BHA), will replace 64 obsolete apartments with 142 modern apartments in a fully accessible building designed from the ground up to support healthy living as residents age in community.
Combining Housing and Health
A key innovation at the J.J. Carroll complex is the inclusion of an on-site PACE Center (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), which will be operated by Element Care in partnership with Edenbridge Health. This progressive health and social services program leverages flexibility in Medicare and Medicaid services to deliver care at home instead of in hospitals and nursing homes. Available to 2Life residents and older adults in the wider neighborhood, the program will focus on healthy living, active engagement, and preventive care.
“For several years, 2Life has been working on ways to integrate healthcare with housing. Incorporating the PACE Center in our expanded Brighton campus will enable us to help our residents access and coordinate their healthcare and their home and personal care in a meaningful and sustainable way,” explains Lizbeth Heyer, vice president at 2Life Communities (pictured above). “PACE is the ideal healthcare partner for 2Life. They share our passion for helping people age at home and a willingness to work collaboratively to coordinate care.”
Creating a Vibrant Community
The design of the building itself is equally innovative. 2Life chose MASS Design Group, an award-winning, not-for-profit architecture firm, to design the new building. Before they put pen to paper, MASS Design invested time to understand the mission behind the project and met with the J.J. Carroll residents to learn what was important to them. Having lived in a close-knit (albeit physically obsolete) community for many years, the residents helped imagine a design for a larger building that preserves the benefits of living in intimate neighborhoods.
The result is a plan that includes both interior and exterior spaces that will promote community interaction. Built to LEED Silver and Passive House standards, the building is designed for efficiency and sustainability. It represents a model for how to create living spaces that foster healthy, joyous living for older adults, complementing and enhancing our existing Brighton campus.
2Life CEO Amy Schectman is thrilled by the results of the partnership. “MASS Design Group shared and embraced our values with zest. They brought innovation not only to the design, but also to how architects can work collaboratively with the community and support a seamless aging process.”
Supporting Residents Through Transition
With construction underway and a target completion date in summer 2023, residents of the J.J. Carroll apartments were offered temporary housing and the right to return when the project is complete. Some residents are now living at other 2Life campuses, and some chose temporary housing in other BHA or area apartments.
“2Life is thrilled to develop these beautiful homes that will demonstrate the enormous benefits of integrating housing and healthcare,” Schectman says. “We can’t wait to welcome new residents to our vibrant, expanded Brighton campus.”
