Summer 2004

Executive Director's Letter
   When you read the articles in this issue you will have a better understanding of the process we undertake to make our living units like new before a resident moves in - or, as we like to say, "better than new," with upgraded specifications, fixtures, etc. But at Carolina Meadows the "refurbishing" process has a much broader definition.

   One of the buzz terms for our industry is "aging in place," which simply refers to the fact that all of us are getting older every day. This phenomenon is true not only for the humans on our campus but also for our facilities - garage doors, roofs, HVAC systems, even plant and landscape materials age in place. Failure to recognize this can have drastic consequences both on the operations due to deferred maintenance costs and on marketing, particularly with shiny new competitors opening their doors.

   At Carolina Meadows we're proud of our efforts and programs to keep our campus refreshed and up to date. When the project is completed this fall, we will have installed complete new HVAC systems in all 391 independent living units over the past two years. These new units not only reduce our maintenance costs but also provide better environmental service to the residents and are more economical and efficient to operate. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. For instance we recently installed new battery back-up systems to all our emergency phones and call systems in the independent living units; we replaced the wooden garage doors on the 81 villas in Phase II with a new insulated metal one; with the help of resident decorating committees, we refurbished the lobbies and common area's of all six apartment buildings. Each year we not only do regular and routine maintenance, exterior painting, gutter cleaning, and landscaping, but major projects too. This summer we'll be reconfiguring our bar/lounge and private dining area, creating a new entry to our main dining room, providing more space and flexibility for special functions in the new private dining area. Our strategic plan for the next three years also includes a major "facelift" to the older areas of campus. Preliminary plans for the facelift include window replacement, siding, and roofing for many of our villas and apartments that were built in the initial construction phase. This, coupled with ongoing programs to address road, driveways, and other areas of our physical plant, will help keep our campus not only looking good but also working well and up to date in areas of design and maintenance.

   So we invite you to come out and see for yourself - and maybe bring along your tennis racquet because our courts are also undergoing a facelift and will be completed in early April with a new resilient synthetic surface, and separate backboard practice area, just right for those knees and joints that have "aged in place."

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Divine Design: Residents Create Their Retirement Masterpiece
   The home decorating TV show "While You Were Out" - in which an interior design team completely revamps a room while the unsuspecting homeowner is away for the weekend - has nothing on Jane and Alston Manning. They selected the décor for an entire house in the space of an afternoon.

   The purchase price of a unit at Carolina Meadows includes a whole-house refurbishment complete with new appliances. New residents select the colors and materials for their new décor. With the option of creating modifications to their villa or apartment, such as adding bookshelves and ceiling fans, and changing the layout, that "new" home truly is new inside.

   The Mannings had looked at numerous retirement communities before deciding that Carolina Meadows was the one they wanted to call home. They liked the spacious layout of the community and the friendliness of the people. Another important factor was that their daughter had plans to build a house nearby. They had lived in Rochester, N.Y. for about half a century, but were ready for the change. Knowing that Carolina Meadows has a waiting list, the Mannings made an application several years before they were ready to move. In November 2002 they got a call from admissions coordinator Liz Rossi letting them know that one of the home models they'd been waiting for was available, if they were interested in it.

   Three days and a thousand-mile car trip later, they were walking through a spacious two bedroom Regent model with Rossi. Once they accepted the unit, they accompanied Rossi to the marketing conference room piled high with Formica slices, carpet squares, parquet samples and paint chips, where they selected all the finishes for their new home.

   In their excitement to drive down to see their new Chapel Hill home, the Mannings didn't think to bring a throw pillow to help them match paint with their upholstery, much less take measurements of their furniture to see what might fit where. Rossi, however, who has been helping residents with the move-in process for more than seven years, was ready with helpful suggestions and a handy tape measure.

   Over the space of a few hours, the Mannings made decisions, room after room, creating their new home as they went. The chandelier in the dining room would stay; a door from the living room to the bedroom would go. The parquet in the living room that accommodated the previous resident's wheelchair would be replaced by cream-colored, deep-pile carpeting. A peachy white for the walls throughout the house, though they could have ordered different colors in other rooms as an added-cost upgrade. They selected the style and color of four major kitchen appliances; ordered flooring and countertops for the kitchen and baths; and decided to move a few electrical outlets and phone jacks.

   Rossi gave the Mannings a floor plan of the model and some little furniture cut-outs so they could plan what furniture to move to Chapel Hill. Then they drove back to Rochester to pack and organize their move. When they returned two months later to the completely remodeled villa, they had just the right furnishings with them.

   To facilitate the décor selection process for applicants who are moving in from out-of-state, Rossi supplies the brand names, models and styles of the materials, appliances and fixtures that Carolina Meadows uses in the customization. Out-of-state applicants can go to a local dealer to see samples and get a head start on their remodeling decisions.

   Joe and Marian Mengel went through the sorting and packing process when they moved from Upstate New York to Cary after putting themselves on the Ready List. But a year after settling in at Carolina Meadows - and seeing the additions that had been built onto the homes of some of their neighbors - they decided to add more space to their Davidson model villa.

   Marian decided she wanted an additional room to spread out and do her paperwork. Joe jokes that he and Marian added a room because they had too many chairs. Either way, they agreed that the patio out back would be just the right size for a sunny home office. While most modifications do not increase the direct resale value of the villa, the building of an addition can add $10,000 or so to the resale value of the home. Residents then benefit as they share in appreciation as part of Carolina Meadows Equity Advantage Program.

   The Equity Advantage program provides that if a resident ever leaves Carolina Meadows, regardless of the reason, Carolina Meadows, Inc. will return the resident's equity in his or her home; and, if the resale value of the resident's Carolina Meadows home appreciates to cover the sales costs, the resident is entitled to one half of the net appreciation The Mengels were confident they would get their money's worth of enjoyment out of the room over the years.

   "Not insignificantly, the interest rates were pretty low at the time, so construction was attractive from that point of view," Mengel said.

   An engineer by training, Mengel worked up a simple design that he presented to Richard Parker and Joe Zanini at the physical plant office for approval. Parker gave Mengel a list of contractors who had worked successfully on other villas at Carolina Meadows. Mengel interviewed a few and collected bids.

   The contractor got all the necessary permits and arranged for the inspections required at each stage by the county. Carolina Meadow's property office also kept an eye on the work, and Mengel was on site every day. When the work was completed, the Mengles had a new 10-1/2 foot by 19-foot room, complete with a cathedral ceiling and three large windows to bring in the morning sun.

   "This is not a novel operation," Mengel said. "It's been done pretty widely here. It's attractive and allows you to spread your furnishings out a bit."

   Sue and Nicholas Bach had the luxury of experience when they moved from a house in Cary to a villa in Carolina Meadows. Years before, they had built a house in Florida and knew the myriad decisions they faced in customizing their home in Carolina Meadows. When they arrived to see the villa, Sue Bach came armed with upholstery samples from home. She didn't hesitate to take Formica and flooring samples back to the Regent model that would be her new home to see how they looked with the cabinetry. When questions or concerns came up as the refurbishment progressed, she picked up the phone and called Rossi, who gave her answers and acted as liaison with the work crew.

   The workmen impressed Bach by their attention to detail.

   "They replaced a mirror that ran the length of the wall in the master bath because there was a flaw you could hardly see," she said. "All that was included at no extra cost."

   And when everything was done, the crew re-hung the drapes.

   "It's like new when they're finished," she said. "It's like moving into a totally new house."

   The "While You Were Out" crew would approve.

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Decorating Solutions
   Admissions coordinator Liz Rossi knows Carolina Meadows inside and out. When she was hired 12 years ago, she answered phones for the maintenance department, passing along work orders from residents. Over the years, she moved on to marketing and admissions, where part of her job is to help new residents select finishes for their homes. Though her expertise encompasses contracts and construction, prospective residents rely on her creative eye for colors, countertops and carpeting. For some new residents, décor is only the beginning as they customize their new abode at Carolina Meadows to fit their lifestyle.

   Applicants begin working with Rossi when she calls to tell them the style of home they requested is available. She sets up an appointment for them to come in as soon as possible to walk through what will become their new home.

   Prospective residents tour the home with Rossi and plant operations manager Richard Parker, who oversees customization. Parker's crew repaints and outfits the unit with new appliances, countertops, faucets, commodes and flooring as part of the standard refurbishment process. If the home has not been updated since a modification program began about four years ago, the cabinets also will be replaced. As they walk through the unit with Rossi and Parker, prospective residents decide which customizations made by previous owners they want to keep and what new modifications they want to make. Rossi takes notes, and Parker figures the cost of any modifications that aren't included in the standard refurbishment. After the walk-through, the owners-to-be return to Rossi's office to select colors and materials and decide on any upgrades.

   "It's similar to building a house," she says. "You have some options included in the standard price. If you want more extensive options, you simply pay the difference."

   Because they have worked on so many units over the years, Rossi and Parker can offer remodeling ideas that have worked for others - building a bookshelf in the study or extra shelving in closets or the garage; taking down or putting up a wall or moving a doorway to accommodate furnishings; adding a soffit to define a living space. Sometimes new residents can see examples in the homes of current residents.

   "Current residents remember what it's like to go through this process, so they are enthusiastic about showing their home and sharing their ideas and experiences," Rossi said.

   For the most part, it is more cost-effective and efficient for homeowners to decide on modifications and upgrades before they move in, but the decision does not have to be made during the initial walk-through. Rossi lets prospective residents take home samples of countertop material, carpeting and paint chips for a few days to live with their decisions before putting in a work order.

   "It's an exciting and emotional time to plan out your new home," she said. "Some people come in ready to pick out paint and carpet; others need to take their selections home and look at them."

   Some applicants bring in throw pillows or upholstery samples from their current home to find a match for their new décor. When prospective residents bring in a paint chip, Rossi can find a match, even if the chip is 20 years old and from another paint company.

   For applicants who live out of town, Rossi supplies the brand names of the materials used in the refurbishment. Prospective residents can go to a dealer in their area to see samples of Formica countertops, Shaw carpeting, Armstrong vinyl and Duron paint to begin thinking about décor.

   Rossi points out which decisions can be made after residents move in. For instance, additional shelving would cost the same before closing as after and would not affect the day residents could move in.

   "You can't always walk into a house and know what wire shelving you want in your closet," she said. "Some things like that are too hard to pin down. So that can be fitted later. I suggest people live here a little while, then decide what they want."

   Those who wake up the next morning with a change of heart about, say, the pink-and-green kitchen that sounded so pretty the day before can call Rossi with a new choice. Rossi is happy to make the change.

   "Nothing is written in stone here," Rossi said. "It's people we work with here, not hard-and-fast rules."

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Before & After: Making It New From The Inside Out
   Although Realtors advise staging a home by adding flowers and accessories before showing it to prospective buyers, plant operations manager Richard Parker likes to show units at Carolina Meadows stripped to their bare walls. He relies on the power of the clients' imagination when he ushers them into the dry-wall shell that will become their new home.

   Viewing the villa as a blank canvas, Parker says, makes it "easier to visualize what their home wants to be."

   If Parker had his way, he would show units only after his crew has spent a day and a half deconstructing them. The floors would be reduced to sub-flooring and plywood. Where there were once light fixtures, only capped wires would remain. The kitchen would be bare of all countertops, and sometimes the cabinetry would be gone. The bathroom might have only a sealed flange in place of a commode and capped pipes where the sink used to be.

   Then he would bring the new owners in to decide how they want the finished home to look.

   "We can't build it from the ground up, but we can make it new from the outside in," Parker says.

   The Chatham County building code and Carolina Meadows guidelines are the only limits in refurbishing a home for a new resident. Parker calls on his crew of 23, four or five at a time, to move doorways and walls, build porches, add soffits, install ceiling fans and shelves, or take them away, depending on what the new homeowners want. Those who have been through the process of building a new house take the refurbishment in stride. Others may be surprised by the plethora of decisions to make about layout, materials, appliances and fixtures.

   As part of the standard refurbishment, each unit receives new appliances: including a refrigerator with an icemaker, an oven, over-the-stove microwave and a dishwasher. New residents select the countertops for the kitchen and baths, as well as flooring and paint color. Units that have not been refurbished recently will get new white, raised-panel cabinets in the kitchen and baths.

   New residents may choose upgrades for an additional cost. Some new residents may want hardwood floors instead of carpeting, or a larger side-by-side refrigerator. The layout can change as well. Some may want the doorway to the kitchen moved farther down the hall, or a second door put in the master bedroom to lead directly to the living room. Removing walls to create a large living room is popular, although some residents want walls put back up to create a separate television room or study.

   Because changes after construction starts are costly and time-consuming to make, Parker encourages newcomers to visit the unit during the remodeling, as long as they call first to make sure that it is open. (For insurance liability purposes, the painters and cabinet installers prefer that work stop when visitors are on the premises.) Parker may even call the new owners in to see a wall once it is framed up but before it has been dry-walled and painted to make sure it is what they had in mind.

   Parker and his crew can usually transform a villa in under sixty days. If a new resident decides to make a change in the work order after construction has started, Parker lays out a schedule of when the new work will be completed. Some work, such as adding ceiling fans or shelves, can be done after the new residents move in.

   Parker's crew is cross-trained so that, for instance, workers who prep walls for painting can also install countertops and appliances. If necessary, he'll have workers come in on weekends to finish a unit by the closing date.

   "Residents are stunned when they come back in 60 days and everything is done exactly the way they wanted it," he says.

   Parker and his crew typically have four to 10 units undergoing refurbishment at any given time. Last year, he completed 36 renovations; in 2002, he did 41. The refurbishments are done along with regular maintenance for the rest of the Carolina Meadows facility.

   "It can be a juggle," he admits, but quality doesn't suffer. The week leading up to closing, four different people inspect units.

   "The staff is extremely quality-conscious," he says. "We will do what it takes to get everything the way residents want it. That's the nature of any of the service departments at Carolina Meadows."

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