Community-Focused Construction
The KindCare at Bristol project provides a high-quality living arrangement for seniors, enabling them to receive the care they need while still remaining in the community where they raised their families. From the design team to the subcontractors, this project was all hands on deck to create a state-of-the-art living community for the seniors of the Bristol community. This new assisted living community allows those who raised their families in Bristol to remain in Bristol, because raising families in the communities where they work is important – this is why Wohlsen is committed to including as many local-area trade partners as possible. The team was driven by the notion that KindCare was part of an ongoing change in downtown Bristol, and it served as a revival of the once-vacant corner of North Main and Route 6.
Innovative Senior Living
Setting its sights on Bristol as the inaugural site for affordable senior living communities across Connecticut, SLD envisioned and realized the first KindCare Senior Living community. Spanning five stories and 60,802 square feet, this innovative facility features 89 assisted living and 28 memory care beds, alongside a commercial kitchen, diverse common areas, an exercise room, a movie theater, arts and crafts spaces, and administrative offices. Embracing a unique ‘roommate’ concept akin to higher-end communities, KindCare ensures quality care at affordable costs, enabling middle-income seniors to stay in their beloved community.
Proactive Construction Advocacy
We provided a heightened level of planning and organization within KindCare at Bristol’s constrained urban area, tight budget, and complex building system by approaching the project as a “construction advocate” from day one. Guiding the development of construction from the ground up and providing the client with critical insight during the preconstruction phase allowed the project to run smoothly despite price escalations, long lead times, and material shortages. We worked tirelessly to bring costs down and established a schedule that would maintain the timeline and budget of the project. Involved from day one, we proactively addressed issues we anticipated prior to their impact to minimize changes and avoid rework.
Comslab - Revolutionizing Structural Efficiency
Bristol’s new KindCare Senior Living community featured a first-of-its-kind element with the use of a Comslab system. The system, used in the flooring and walls is a new metal decking that allows for lesser amounts of structural steel. This approach required strict coordination between the mechanical, structural, and framing components of the project. Although it came with a learning curve – this real-time experience has positioned Wohlsen with the opportunity to offer clients new options as this trend gains popularity across the industry. Ultimately, the Comslab system enhanced both the structural stability and overall cost efficiency of the project.
