Kendal~Crosslands Communities Breaks Ground on a $56M Expansion and Renovation Project
February 27, 2024
KENNETT SQUARE, PA — The Kendal at Longwood community of Kendal~Crosslands Communities, a nonprofit life-plan community, has broken ground on a $56M expansion and renovation project featuring a newly reimagined health center and independent-living apartments.
Kendal~Crosslands Communities recently commemorated the occasion with a ceremonial groundbreaking and reception in this small town that is considered a suburb of both Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. The event brought together residents, staff, community members, and regional leaders, including Pennsylvania Senator John I. Kane, who gave remarks at the reception. Staff, residents, and board members collaboratively planned the project.
For the health center, the community worked to create a place where community, nature, and care meet. The center will consist of an enhanced Resident Care (Medical Clinic), rehabilitation spaces, and personal-care and skilled-nursing residences.
“Person-centered quality services and programs positively impact the residents. Our thought leadership is the conduit to a supportive, caring community, and our health center at our Kendal at Longwood campus will embody our Quaker values,” said CEO Lisa Marsilio. “Today, we are thrilled the newly reimagined center will be a transformative initiative that will address the needs of current and future residents and affect the field of aging, helping people to live their best lives.”
Included in the design are 18 independent living ground floor apartments, according to a press release.
As one of their core values, environmental sustainability is an integral part of this new project. They are including solar infrastructure to help reduce energy use, incorporating energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems, and use of healthy materials to reduce their carbon footprint as much as possible. In addition, water conservation and rain-water management were priorities in the design.
“I am tremendously proud of this initiative at the Kendal at Longwood campus,” said Senator Kane. “The fusion of natural surroundings, cutting-edge technology, and modern sustainability measures illustrates the creative and empathetic solutions that our world desperately needs today. This reimagined health center will not only provide exceptional care, but also significantly enhance the quality of life within our community. It is heartening to see Kendal at Longwood’s unwavering commitment to providing exceptional care for our senior community.”
Kendal~Crosslands Communities has more than 900 residents and 600 employees nestled on 500 acres in the Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania. Fifty years ago, the community was made possible by a generous grant from the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. While Kendal-Crosslands Communities is not part of any religious institution, its values remain grounded in the Quaker values.
