Knoxville City and Knox County officials along with the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, Alzheimer’s Tennessee surrounding Morning Pointe Senior Living owners Franklin Farrow and Greg A. Vital. Next to Franklin Farrow on the far left is Dr. Russ Langdon with UT Medical and in the center is Kerry Howland retired from UT Women’s basketball where she worked with the late Pat Summitt.
Independent Healthcare Properties (IHP) and Morning Pointe Senior Living, along with local dignitaries and community leaders, will gather to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Morning Pointe of Knoxville, to be held August 29, at 10:30 a.m., at 9649 Westland Dr., adjacent to Shoreline Community Church and easily accessible to Pellissippi Parkway.
The City of Knoxville approved the Chattanooga-based senior healthcare company’s plans for the new 18-acre, 133-room assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care campus, which will add to Morning Pointe’s senior healthcare services in Anderson and Loudon counties with locations in Clinton, Lenoir City and Powell.
The first phase of the development will feature a 58,000-square-foot assisted living with 73 spacious apartments. Twenty of the apartments will be located in a secure, dedicated area designed for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory care disorders. The Phase II development – The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, Knoxville – is a 45,000-square-foot freestanding building with 60 specially designed apartments for residents with Alzheimer’s and other memory-related needs. The Knoxville senior campus is slated to open by Fall 2018.
The assisted living and memory care community will feature physical and occupational therapies, life enrichment programming, and Alzheimer’s memory care services in The Lantern, including innovative therapies such as SimpleC™ Companion memory care technology and Meaningful Day purposeful programming to ensure the highest quality of care for residents. Residents will enjoy premier amenities and fine dining with local, farm-fresh ingredients.
“Morning Pointe has been a part of the East Tennessee healthcare delivery system for 20 years since its founding in Chattanooga,” says Greg A. Vital, president and CEO of Morning Pointe. “Knoxville is not only a great place to live and work, but also a great place to retire. This expansion allows us to provide seniors and their families more options for quality senior care and service in Knox County.”
According to 2016 U.S. Census Bureau population estimate reports, Knoxville is the second fastest growing city in the state behind Nashville. Following growth trends, Morning Pointe seeks to provide retirement living options to bring the over-65 population closer to medical services and adult children, who are relocating to urban areas.
The new Knoxville development will bring 200 construction jobs and 125 permanent healthcare jobs to the region, with an estimated economic impact of $15 million. East Tennessee Specialty Builders of Chattanooga is the general contractor for the project. HFR Design of Brentwood is the architect, and SITE, Inc., of Knoxville is providing civil engineering services.
Morning Pointe has also made a commitment to senior care awareness in the region through the Morning Pointe Foundation and its partnerships with Knoxville-based non-profit organizations, Alzheimer’s awareness events featuring Kim Campbell – wife of country music legend Glen Campbell – caregiver support groups, and nursing scholarship opportunities.
Morning Pointe Foundation – the philanthropic arm of Morning Pointe Senior Living founded in 2014 by East Tennessee entrepreneurs Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow – connects educational and wellness initiatives, creates community partnerships and supports caregivers in its mission to advance the care of seniors.