The Architectural Team Tapped for Major Healthcare Center in White Plains, NY
The Architectural Team, Inc. (TAT), nationally renowned experts in assisted living, recently announced their selection as architect for a major new 110,000-square-foot rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility in downtown White Plains, New York, called the White Plains Institute for Rehabilitation & Healthcare.
Created to support a special focus on short-term, sub-acute care, the $60 million project is being developed by the Congress Companies for White Plains Healthcare Properties, and will consist of 160 skilled nursing beds, including 76 specialized rehabilitation beds, 42 Alzheimerās secure beds, and 42 long-term care beds, each on specially designed nursing units. The facility will be operated by tenant EPIC Healthcare Management, LLC.
“The goal for this project is to create a physical environment that encourages rehabilitation and well-being, so patients can recover and return home sooner,” says TAT Project Architect Gary Kane. “We embraced the clientās philosophy of approaching the design more like that of a luxury hotel than a traditional healthcare facility, adapting traditional programmatic elements with an amenity based focus and utilizing high-quality finishes, furniture, and lighting to promote a positive atmosphere while also responding to the needs of the memory and physically challenged.”
Another key differentiating element of this project is its downtown location, says Kane. The first truly urban nursing home in TATās 45+ year healthcare portfolio, it reflects not only the recent growth of White Plains, but also a changing philosophy regarding long-term care facilities:
“Traditionally, nursing homes have been less common in urban environments, but we’re seeing new awareness of the inherent advantage for patients, families, and health care providers in locating longer-term health services in more densely populated areas. Placing projects like this one closer to where people have lived and worked helps ease the transition to nursing care, and translates to increased visitations from family and friends.”
A groundbreaking was held at the property last month. It was attended by the architects and the development team, as well as Mayor Thomas M. Roach.
About the White Plains Institute for Rehabilitation & Healthcare:
TAT’s design for this 110,000-square-foot facility is intended to replicate the feel of a luxury hospitality property, while offering the latest in rehabilitation and skilled nursing services. Located in the heart of downtown White Plains, New York, the building takes full advantage of its urban location to engage with and activate the streetscape, featuring a grand entry drop-off and al fresco dining terrace along its most public sidewalk frontage.
The interior design focuses on resident ease of use, offering wayfinding cues, finishes, furniture, artwork and lighting that promote health and well-being for the memory and physically challenged. Each floor will have two common area rooms, with tall glass walls designed specifically to accommodate patient sight lines. Other amenities include a large main dining room, a beauty Salon/barber shop, and a central lounge with gas-burning fireplace. These luxurious gestures support the true vision, Patients who are enticed to leave their bedrooms and motivated to participate in activities are far more likely to have a successful rehabilitation.
In addition to amenity spaces, the ground floor provides most of the support space with service areas located within the block and out of site from the public way.
On upper floors, the building’s 160 beds will include 76 specialized rehabilitation beds, 42 Alzheimerās secure beds, and 42 long-term care beds. Each floor is organized around a simple and efficient L-shaped plan, with four specially designed independent nursing units on floors two through five.
Clustered in care neighborhoods of 36-42 patients, each floor will also offer two common area rooms, one located at the outer corner that provides sweeping views of city life, the other on the interior corner overlooking a quieter scene of landscaped terraces. Both areas are centrally located close to staffed stations. While the short-term care floors maintain some of the more traditional nurse station qualities, the longer-term care floors reflect a trend towards open plans and a less institutional look. The design team incorporates small but important details, such as lowered window sills in amenity areas that accommodate lower sight lines from wheelchair-bound patients. Memory care and standard long term care floors will each have a dedicated seating/waiting area, dining room, lounge, activity, and outdoor activity space.
About TAT:
The architecture, masterplanning and interior design firm The Architectural Team, Inc. (TAT) is recognized for its thought leadership, diverse portfolio of acclaimed design solutions, and creation of lasting transformation in the communities its project serve. The firm has earned more than 100 awards for design excellence across a broad range of building types and programs; from large-scale urban mixed use developments, multifamily, commercial, waterfront, and hospitality buildings to assisted living facilities and community centers. For more information, please visit www.architecturalteam.com.
