SAN ANGELO, Texas – Leaders from Baptist Memorial Ministries and Buckner International broke ground Tuesday, Jan. 28 to begin construction on the $22 million renovation project at Baptist Retirement Community.

Residents and supporters gathered for a short ceremony prior to the groundbreaking.

“We are excited about this chapter in the life of Baptist Retirement Community and we want to share it with our community,” said Quinda Feil-Duncan, executive director of BRC.

Albert Reyes, president and CEO of Dallas-based Buckner International, which operates Baptist Retirement Community, said the groundbreaking commemorated years of prayer and planning to revitalize the senior living community, which opened in 1951, and enhance its quality of services to seniors in the Concho Valley.

“This project is the result of many people coming together to envision a bright future for San Angelo’s seniors,” he said. “We believe this expansion and renovation will help us continue to enrich the lives of senior adults and will reposition the community for years to come.”

Included in the expansion and renovation plans are:

• Expansion and renovation of the Henley/Mabee high-rise residences. The existing high-rise will be transformed into a “Texas-style,” 80-unit independent living community. A new attached wellness center will include a dining area, library, computer learning area, bistro restaurant, community room, aerobics area and a heated pool.

• Construction of two new homes for residents with memory loss. Together, the homes will include 28 units, housing 30 residents in memory care and assisted living.

• Two new Green House® homes. The Green House model provides for elders needing skilled nursing care.

• Campus beautification. The project includes new signal lights, signs, and campus beautification with an overhaul of the community’s landscaping. The goal is to create a boulevard along Main Street. Officials said the plans include utilizing techniques that require less water.

The project, which will take an estimated five years to complete, is being funded through a combination of fundraising and special financing. BRC officials said the project will be completed in two phases: the first consisting of the construction of the new assisted living memory care and two new Green Houses, followed by the renovation of the high rise for independent living residents.

Tommy Hiebert, chair of Baptist Memorials board, said the project is a “win-win for the entire community; obviously for the residents of Baptist Retirement Community, but also for everyone living in San Angelo and the Concho Valley. Baptist is such a vital part of our community and this project means we’ll continue serving elders for many years to come.”