Summit Vista Breaks Ground On Utah’s First Life Plan Community

July 6, 2017

SALT LAKE CITY, UT–Summit Vista marked the start of construction on the first phase of its Life Plan Community, at a special groundbreaking ceremony in Taylorsville. Summit Vista, one of only a few dozen large-scale life plan communities across the country, seeks to change the way seniors view retirement by emphasizing healthy, successful aging that promotes an independent lifestyle.

The historic event honored guests and presenters including Summit Vista Managing Director, Mark Erickson; Senior Vice President, Chief Physician Executive and President of Intermountain Medical Group, Dr. Mark Briesacher; Utah philanthropist and Gardner Company founder, Kem Gardner; and Taylorsville Mayor, Larry Johnson. It also included many future residents of Summit Vista who excitedly await their new home.

“The planning process for this campus began in 2015. The fact that we have now broke ground is an exciting milestone for the entire Summit Vista team,” said Mark Erickson. “Our team is passionate and committed to this concept of a community that promotes successful aging and it is gratifying for all of us to see these plans come to life.”

Located on a 105-acre campus in the heart of the Salt Lake Valley, Summit Vista features a 62,000-square-foot clubhouse offering amenities and services that promote active living, including a 25-yard lap pool, a fitness center, clubs and activity studios, and three restaurants with menus including health-conscious options.

“It’s a remarkable piece of land with great views of the mountains and the valley,” noted Kem Gardner, who spoke about the development, which is the first of its kind in the state of Utah. “This is not just another real estate project. I don’t think there’s been a project done like it in eighteen years.”

Gardner also spoke of Utah’s aging senior population and the necessity of establishing a community like Summit Vista in the state. “I attended a briefing at the Gardner Institute on the aging demographics of Utah,” he said. “It made me realize how important it is that we have a lifestyle community where there is social interaction and where people can get together as they get older.”

Taylorsville Mayor, Larry Johnson, echoed Gardner and spoke about the impact Summit Vista will have on the local community. “The land that Summit Vista is being built on has been sitting empty for a long time—largely because the right organization hadn’t come along,” said Mayor Johnson. “We wanted the right kind of company to develop it—one that was going to positively contribute to not only the financial health of our city, but to the personal health of its residents. This development, a Life Plan Community, is ideal for both of those factors.”

A key component to this Life Plan Community is providing seniors with easy access to high quality healthcare. For this reason, Summit Vista is working with Intermountain Healthcare to provide a variety of on-site services, from health and wellness to primary care and much more.

“People come from all over the world to learn how Intermountain Healthcare practices medicine,” said Gardner. “I could not be more delighted to have them be the medical provider for seniors in this community.”

“Intermountain Healthcare is known locally, nationally and internationally for providing better care and better health at more affordable costs,” said Dr. Mark Briesacher. “Our mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible has helped Utahans have access to some of the very best healthcare. We are pleased to work with Summit Vista to deliver effective health and care for seniors.”

The Summit Vista leadership team is composed of innovative leaders and executives from the senior living industry. Financial backing comes from nationally known, fiscally responsible investors who have a proven track record in developing projects of this kind, including Gardner Company, iStar Inc, and Solamere Capital. Zions Bank is also involved in bringing Summit Vista to life.

“It’s a wonderful thing to have Zions Bank as our community partner,” said Gardner “With Zions Bank and Intermountain as our local partners, and with the support of iStar and the Romney family with Solamere Capital, I think we are going to be well served.”