Glenridge on
Palmer Ranch
The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch is a community of 50 cottages and 250 independent living residences; the latter are three and four stories above one story of covered parking.
The site includes 30 acres of nature preserve and 20 acres of lakes. The remaining 40 acres are devoted to residential living, with two neighborhoods of single-family cottages and one neighborhood of Independent Living residences, covered parking, Commons and Healthcare.
The Healthcare facility has a special dementia wing with both assisted living and Skilled Nursing levels of care. The Commons is a generous space for activities, business, and food services including performing arts, a lecture hall, and five dining options.
RDG is currently working on an additional 104 club homes and villas on 60 acres acquired on the north side of the campus. Plans also include adding to the top of the assisted living community and the skilled nursing portion of the building.
The expanded lobby is strategically located along a busy corridor that connects the Independent Living (IL) and Commons areas with the Assisted Living (AL) and Skilled Nursing (SN) areas. This corridor will serve as a vibrant hub for an Arts and Entertainment District, further enhancing residents' social and cultural experiences.
The overall challenge was creating a cultural hub for theater, dining, and artwork in a busy, intersecting corridor on campus. This critical connecting corridor needed to remain open during construction. The exterior wall was successfully removed by installing a temporary construction wall along the existing corridor, allowing the lobby to be expanded while keeping the corridor fully operational.
The art and décor committee sought a fresh, modern finish palette, but the challenge was to honor the traditional finishes present on either side of the lobby. This was achieved by seamlessly transitioning from existing to new, blending a contemporary design rooted in local Floridian style with elements that highlight traditional Scottish heritage.
As the nation’s first Life Fulfilling Community®, The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch in Sarasota, Florida offers a unique retirement living experience by creating a therapeutic environment where social and cultural forces positively shape the lives of residents.
The design for the Kamberg Wellness Center seeks to enhance body, mind and spirit through a spa-like environment that emphasizes health, hospitality and holistic wellness. To fully understand the desired aesthetic goals and intentions for the Wellness Center, the design team engaged in listening sessions with campus leadership and members of the Resident Art and Décor Committee. Out of these sessions emerged a strong consensus to pursue a more contemporary aesthetic instead of the traditional, home-like elements that exist elsewhere on the campus.
The design team focused on incorporating soft neutral colors, organic textures and patterns, and nature-inspired artwork. Large windows provide abundant natural light and stunning views of a nearby lake create a warm, welcoming and engaging environment. Encompassing just over 8,000 SF, the two-story Kamberg Wellness Center houses dedicated spaces for an array of services for residents.
The Argentini Center for Rehabilitation offers physical or speech rehab after illness, surgery or injury; the Living Well Clinic provides a variety of primary healthcare services; The Glen is a multipurpose gathering space for entertainment events and fitness/wellness classes; Club 90 is a recreation area exclusively for those who are nonagenarians and up; and the Brain Health Studio offers a library and reading room and space for counseling sessions.
The center connects to the existing skilled nursing building to allow for easy access for those residents while still offering a separate primary entrance for others.