Rush University Medical Center recognized an urgent need to strengthen its services to senior citizens -- whose numbers will more than double in the next two decades as 70,000,000 baby boomers become "Golden Agers" -- with quality healthcare and affordable housing. Efforts focus on Rush's respected Johnston R. Bowman Health Center for the Elderly, an existing 150-bed facility at the hospital's West Side Chicago campus.
The 200,000 SF specialized hospital's top two floors house 32 senior residences as part of its overall continuum of services, available to persons over 60 years who are independent or need limited assistance. The residences' appliances were obsolete, and the decor outmoded after intensive, continuous use for several years. More importantly, the original design did not easily accommodate reduced mobility or comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility issues.
This renovation process took three years because Bowman enjoys a high occupancy level. One unit was retrofitted every 30 days -- immediately after each apartment was vacated -- to avoid disruption. Contractor and supplier prices were set upfront to purchase materials and appliances on an apartment-by-apartment basis, even though the budget was fixed before construction started.
