A residence with a view

Assisted living community with 66 units plans early 2010 opening

joan patterson/special to viewLakeview Terrace General Manager Connie Eagleton stands on the construction site of the assisted living apartment complex on Ville Drive, flanked by project superintendents Andrew Neubauer, left, and Mark Thompson. The men are supervising construction of the 66-unit building on behalf of Desert Wind Homes and MGB Development. Advertisement

What was once a vacant restaurant and parking lot on Ville Drive is now a bustling construction site for an assisted living complex called Lakeview Terrace, which, according to developers of the project, should be open by early 2010.

The plot of land at 180 Ville Drive, with its view of Lake Mead and proximity to scenic Hemenway Park, has sat dormant for the past several years, but is now the site of a management office and wood framing for the 66-unit complex. The retirement community is expected to open this winter and is on schedule to have at least half of the units rented by that time, according to Carla Martin, regional operations director for Paradigm Senior Living Inc., which will manage the facility.

The project broke ground in January and is being financed by Southern Nevada investors. It will have studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, a community dining room, a beauty salon, a lounge, game rooms, and a patio and garden area, according to brochures.

Monthly rates will range from $2,600 to $3,800 per person, depending on apartment size. The rate will cover rent, meals, utilities, housekeeping, activities, a wellness program and transportation services, said Connie Eagleton, the facility's general manager.

The developers of the project said they chose Boulder City because of the high percentage of local retirees, its small-town flavor and proximity to the growing city of Henderson, Martin said.

"The owners saw the growth that was happening in the southeastern part of the valley, and also how quaint Boulder City is. Seniors love Las Vegas and the nightlife, gambling, the businesses, but Boulder City offers the lake and the small-town atmosphere," Martin said.

Most of the residents who have expressed an interest in the community are from Boulder City and Henderson, although there have been inquiries from around the country, particularly the West. A lot of the phone calls come from out-of-state residents who are familiar with Boulder City either as one-time tourists to the town or as "snowbirds" who have wintered here because of its warm, desert climate, Martin said.

"They're calling us from as far away as Arizona, California, Texas, Oklahoma. It's pretty exciting," she said.

About 35 employees will work at Lakeview Terrace in either full- or part-time positions, including two nurses, nurses' aides, a dietician, housekeeping and maintenance staff, Martin said. Applications for jobs can be filled out online at www.lvterrace.com. Management will review applications in November and December as the opening draws closer, Eagleton said.

The community will offer services such as transportation to everything from doctors' appointments to shows on the Strip, organized activities and assistance with health-related issues such as bathing or medication management, the general manager said.

"It depends on what the resident needs, and it's individualized and personalized for each resident while maintaining privacy," Eagleton said.

"We'll also be partnering with a health agency to do monthly blood pressure checks and training in things such as hydration," she said.

Paradigm Senior Living Inc. is based in Portland, Ore., and manages and develops senior housing facilities throughout the country, including projects in Bellevue, Wash.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Parker, Colo.