Residents see pros, cons
of building expansion plan
By linda denicola
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — Applewood Estates, the independent living retirement community of CentraState Healthcare System, is expanding and improving its existing facility on Gully Road.
Administrators are planning to build 20 cottages and 70 other new living units. Officials announced in June that the expansion project, expected to cost $35 million, is the most ambitious expansion in recent years.
Construction plans include 50 apartments to be added to the west side of the existing Applewood Estates building and an additional 20 rooms in the healthcare unit on the east side of the facility. The plan also includes upgrading of the common rooms and pool area.
Some Applewood Estates residents are happy about the prospect, while others are concerned.
Helen Tillson and her husband, Hank, have lived in Applewood Estates for 10 years and are excited about the expansion and the renovations that are planned.
"We will have to live with some dust and dirt, but it will really be a beautiful campus afterward," Helen Tillson said.
William Volk is one of the residents concerned about the planned expansion and about living in the midst of what he called "a construction site."
Volk has lived at Applewood Estates for 11 years and has one of the largest accommodations. He said he has been comfortable there, but he is concerned that the whole atmosphere is going to change from a small community to a bigger one.
"I suppose they can make more money with more people," he said. "Right now it’s not very full here. There are 240 apartments, and there are always about 10 or 12 empty."
The Tillsons, who moved to Applewood Estates in 1993, reside in the independent living section in a two-bedroom, two-bath unit. Helen Tillson is one of seven members of a committee that meets monthly with management and the architect to discuss the plans.
"Management has been very open about this," she said. "It was last year when they started talking about it, and they have kept the resident body informed every step of the way. In fact, [the architect] has changed things that we said we didn’t particularly care for. It’s been a very open process. Someone has reported back every month to the residents. In addition, the architect has met with residents in small groups and shown them everything that is going to be done."
Tillson said the residents have also been told that the hours of construction will be limited as far as the noise the crews can make before or after certain hours.
James Goss, vice president of public relations for CentraState Healthcare System, said that earlier in June, Applewood Estates officials met with nine neighbors and briefed them as to the plans.
"Some neighbors had questions about tree planting. We plan to put in an excess of 60 trees on the western edge of the property that abuts neighbors. They seemed satisfied with this news," he said."The current residents really won’t be affected much, if at all, by the construction of the cottages," he added. "They really won’t see or hear that much, and construction vehicles will use a service road."
Goss said the construction of the new apartments will create a bit of a noise factor for residents who live on north side of the building, but he said administrators will limit construction hours.
"We want to be good neighbors," Goss said.
Goss acknowledged that the work to the central building will cause some commotion. That work includes a new swimming pool, exercise facility, spa, library, formal and casual dining rooms and an enlarged main entrance and common areas.
"It’s regrettable, but in the long run, it will be a vast improvement," Goss said, adding that there will probably be a hearing before the Planning Board this summer.
Jay Solomon, vice president of CentraState Senior Services, said the project is an expansion of consumer choices. He explained that Applewood Estates is a life-care community, meaning that once consumers buy their independent living units, they are buying increasing levels of care over the rest of their lives. As they become less independent, they can move into assisted living and then into skilled care at no additional cost.
In addition, there is a monthly fee, he said, adding that people actually purchase a life care contract that has a financial planning component.
"Life care is a combination of health care and estate planning because we guarantee health care for life and look at what people will be able to leave to their heirs," Solomon said.
The one-bedroom cottage with a den will sell for $262,000 and up; the largest two-bedroom cottage with a den will sell for $320,000. Monthly costs range from $1,600 to $3,500 and include one meal a day, housekeeping, transportation for shopping and entertainment, all utilities except telephone, clinic services and all maintenance, Solomon said.