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The shovels were shined and ready for a 2008 groundbreaking for the first phase of an expansion at Mary’s Woods at Marylhurst continuing care retirement community in Lake Oswego when the recession hit.

鈥淲e were ready to put a shovel in the ground and we had the crash,鈥� said Cheri Mussotto-Conyers, director of marketing and communications for Mary’s Woods. 鈥淲e made the executive decision to put the project on hold.鈥�

Seven years later, with the expansion finally complete, those involved with the project agree that the end result has been worth the wait.

The 17 new villas added during the past year fit in almost perfectly with 266 independent apartments and 33 villas that were built 15 years ago.

鈥淭he most satisfying part for me is that it all works very seamlessly,鈥� said Don Hynes, who served as the owner’s representative and project manager for the recent project. 鈥淭he old and the new blend in so well, you can’t tell what part you’re in.鈥�

Step inside those new villas, though, and the difference becomes more apparent. Because the villas are Mary’s Wood’s top line units, the tenants were give the option to customize certain interior features. The approach added a new level of complexity to an already challenging project.

Fitting the 17 villas on the 4.31-acre site required some creativity, according to Ariel Chavarria, an architect with Ankrom Moisan, which served as project designer. There also were grading complications due to a 45-foot difference from one end of the property to the other.

鈥淲e knew it was going to be a difficult site, so we gave ourselves time to plan for it,鈥� Chavarria said.

Planning also was key when it came to keeping interior customizations straight. Letting one detail slip could have created major headaches, according to Hynes.

鈥淭here are 17 villas with three floor plans. You take those 17 and you multiply it by the number of finishes. You change the counters, you change the backsplash, you could end up with 17 variables in every villa for every finish. So it was a very complex process to coordinate,” he said. “You have to get it right. That really could have damaged our schedule and it would have damaged our customers’ confidence. Everybody made it look easy, but it wasn’t easy.鈥�

鈥淚t started with documentation,鈥� said Kraig O’Connor, the project manager for general contractor R&H Construction. 鈥淎krom spent a good deal of time being very thorough.鈥�

That attention to detail was carried on by R&H by relaying specific information to subcontractors. Spreadsheets helped everyone involved in the project ensure that the correct finishes ended up in the appropriate units.

鈥淚t comes down to collaboration,鈥� O’Connor said. 鈥淲e were lucky to work with partners who understood the importance of good document control.鈥�

WAITING AND WINNING

Waiting for the recession to pass before starting the project appears to have paid off for Marys’ Woods. Within days of R&H handing the villas’ keys to the continuing care community’s administrators, eager tenants were already moving into their new homes.

鈥�(The new villas) were spoken for within the first 90 days of us starting the presale process,鈥� Mussotto-Conyers said.

The villas tend to appeal to seniors who are at the younger end of the spectrum of tenants that Mary’s Woods serves. As one of only a handful of continuing retirement care communities in Oregon, the community offers a range of living accommodations.

鈥淭he whole goal is to keep our seniors really vital and engaged in communities rather than isolated in their own homes,鈥� Mussotto-Conyers said.

For the new villa dwellers at Mary’s Woods, those homes tend to be in the million-dollar range. In order to move into the new villas, seniors paid an entrance fee ranging from $250,000 and $600,000 dollars. They also pay monthly rent for their units.

In return, they’re given access list of services and amenities, including a health center on the Mary’s Woods campus where they can stay if they require short periods of reset after surgeries or illnesses.

鈥淭here are no property taxes; we take care of maintenance and housekeeping every week,鈥� Mussotto-Conyers said. 鈥淚f you need short-term care, you can recoup on campus. If you need to move to 鈥� skilled nursing or memory care, we can provide that.鈥�

While catering to residents has proven to be a recipe for success, Mary’s Woods has a different plan for a second phase of development for its community.

That second phase of work will introduce a new concept to the community by including retail space, a wellness center, restaurants and services designed to attract a new, inter-generational component to the existing Mary’s Woods community

鈥淭his will double our size 鈥� it also allows the outside to come into Mary’s Woods,鈥� Mussotto-Conyers said.

Mary’s Woods Project Team + Stats

Owner: Mary’s Woods at Marylhurst (a nonprofit foundation created by the Sisters of the Holy Name)

Architect: Ankrom Moisan Architects

Landscape architect: Mayer/Reed

Engineers: Pacific Community Design (civil/surveying), Cundiff Engineering Inc. (mechanical, plumbing, electrical), Kramer Gehlen and Associates (structural)

General contractor: R&H Construction

Other associates: Earth Advantage (sustainable design consultant), Structural Waterproofing (envelope consultant),

The Pacific Resources Group (arborist), GRI (geotechnical), Carlson Testing Inc. (special inspections)