Designing a senior center that meets the needs of its members
By Peri Sutton and Ray Holliday
The Hilltop at Eagle Pointe is a trendsetting, active-adult facility designed to accommodate Mont Belvieu, Texas, residents 55 years and older. The 12,240-square-foot center has many amenities and an increased number of program offerings. Since the center opened in October 2018, membership has risen from 118 to 506—a nearly 500-percent increase—and many members have reported significant improvements in their mental and physical health.
Selecting A Site
As with many publicly funded facilities, the road to completion was paved with politically charged discussions and difficult choices. The design team assisted the city with thorough site analyses of three city-owned properties to identify the best location for a new facility. For programming purposes, city staff members preferred the site adjacent to the existing recreation center; however, the senior citizens were vehemently opposed to this site due to concerns the rec would soon overtake the new facility. City council and the seniors were deadlocked.
After meeting to understand all of the concerns and expectations for the new facility, the design team analyzed and rated each site on 22 characteristics. An overall rating system quantified site compatibility with the new senior center program. From this study, the design team concluded that the site adjacent to the rec center was the ideal location. Unfortunately, this decision did not assuage the seniors’ fears. BRW analyzed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of each site with the seniors on the design committee to help them see the benefits of being near the rec. While looking at an aerial view of the site, the mayor inquired about a wooded area near, but not directly adjacent to, the recreation center. Though the wooded area was used for overflow drainage, city staff agreed the drainage plan could be reconfigured to meet both staff and senior wishes for the new facility’s location.