Construction has begun on the site of The Bonavia at Veterans Park and Veterans Park Senior Village. The senior residential development is located on the corner of 62nd Street and Pflumm Road in Shawnee.
Billy McCroy, chief of staff for JC Mulligan Development Group, a Shawnee-based developer, said site work kicked off Aug. 7.
In total, the project consists of 228 apartment units on the site of Bonavia at Veterans Park and 60 attached villas for sale on the site of Veterans Park Senior Village.
The company had planned to start construction in spring 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant economic shutdowns around the metro. McCroy said they had challenges with finding a new debt source and ultimately landed with Great American Bank for financing the development.
McCroy said the development team includes several Shawnee residents who wish to bring a “non-institutionalized, market-rate living experience” for active adults aged 55 and older. Here is a design rendering of the project:
“The intent was always to bring the right kind of product,” McCroy said. “It has been a bit of a slog, but we’ve got a lot of good people that really want this to come together, so that’s really been a huge benefit to us despite some of the trials and tribulations of everything that’s going on right now in the world.”
Omega Senior Living, a Wichita-based company, will manage the development, including rentals for the apartments, a clubhouse and pool, and a partnership with a third-party in-home healthcare provider.
“We want Shawnee residents to feel as though they have a place to live as they reach an age where they might not need to have or don’t want a large house,” McCroy said. “We’re very excited to bring a product that allows them to say in the community that they love.”
Prices for the attached villas will start at $345,000 per unit. The projected rental rates for the Bonavia at Veterans Park units are $1,425 per month for a one-bedroom apartment that’s roughly 900-square-feet and $1,750-$1,875 per month for the two-bedroom units that are roughly 1,100- to 1,200-square-feet.
The apartment buildings will be four- and five-story, center hall structures with elevators and will be operated as limited access facilities, according to the company.
The clubhouse will operate like a community center, featuring exercise facilities, card room, media room, reception room and warming kitchen. Omega will offer social events, card groups, continuing education classes, fitness classes and video entertainment.
The pool area will have a salt water pool with zero-depth entry, hot tub and cabana. Once built, the site will have walking paths, a putting green and bocce ball court.
JC Mulligan Development Group bought the property in September 2018 from Qrivit after that company’s project fell through. McCroy said the company has no plans to pursue public financing.
McCroy said they expect to complete site improvements within the next few months, then begin construction of the buildings sometime in winter. The project is expected to be complete by winter 2022-23.
