The team at the Peabody Home in downtown Franklin put shovels in the ground at a recent virtual groundbreaking ceremony to formally kick of the construction process that will result in a significant expansion of facilities and services. The event, captured on video, highlights the long history of the Peabody Home. The larger, brand-new facility will provide more capacity for assisted living and memory care and independent living options for a full continuum of care.
“Peabody Home has given back to this community for almost 100 years. This Board of Directors felt that we needed something to push the Peabody Home forward into the next century. The best option the board found is to put in a brand-new facility that will serve this community for another 100 years,” said Chris Seufert, chair of the Peabody Home Board of Trustees, during the virtual groundbreaking.
Funding totaling $26 million was approved through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development’s Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program in November. On December 22, all loan paperwork was finalized, allowing construction to start.
“Three years ago, we (the board) thought about expanding and meeting the expectations of what we know is coming in this industry. We looked at our 80-year-old building and thought, ‘it’s time to think of something different.’ What we have come up with is a set of plans that will accommodate two times the census and three times the square footage,” said John Benham, who also serves on the board and chairs the Building Committee.
Construction of the new 63,632 square foot facility will be done in two primary phases. The first phase will be the construction of the assisted living and memory care facility. Upon completion, residents and staff from the current facility, which dates back to 1942, will be moved to the new building. Phase one is expected to be completed in late 2021.
After phase one is completed, the original building will then be torn down and phase two will include constructing the new independent living facility on that location. Both phases will be integrated into a single three-story building that features a granite and brick façade and large manor windows and will include a 24-hour emergency response system, personal transportation services, a beauty and barber shop, an exercise and wellness room and easy access to downtown Franklin. Phase two is expected to be completed in late 2022.
Once completed, the “new Peabody Home” will more than double capacity from the current 37 residents and will include 13 memory care apartments, 45 assisted living apartments and 16 independent living apartments. It will feature more common space and take advantage of its unique views of the Winnipesauke River, which bends around a point where the facility is located.
Schematics and additional information on the building can be found online. Space in the new facility can be reserved now. Anyone who moves into the Peabody Home prior to the opening of the expanded facility will have a space held for them in the “new Peabody.” The building was designed by EGA P.C. Engelberth Construction is building the facility and the engineering work is being conducted by Nobis Engineering. Advisory work is being provided by RS Consulting and North Country and the Northern Community Investment Corporation. For more information, contact Marylee Gorham at 603-934-3718 or mgorham@peabodyhome.org.
Photo caption: Peabody Home Executive Director Meg Miller at the groundbreaking for the comprehensive new senior living facility.
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