Kendal Development Services

As retirement community planning and development becomes more complex and competitive, working closely with an experienced organization is paramount. The Kendal Corporation development services staff provides a high level of expertise and service to not-for-profit organizations interested in developing retirement communities that will become a part of the not-for-profit Kendal system.

Concentrating in New England, the mid-Atlantic states, the near South, and Midwest, Kendal Development Services collaborates with a variety of community groups such as colleges, universities and hospital systems, to facilitate and manage all aspects of developing a new Kendal community. From planning, marketing, finance and regulatory, to design, construction and operational start-up, Kendal provides the expertise and support necessary to bring the project to successful completion.

A comprehensive business model and schedule guides the development process over and around the many challenges. With the foundation and experience of the successful development of seven full-service continuing care retirement communities in five states, Kendal staff have the experience to develop a collaborative and detailed plan for the specific market, partner, and regulatory environment.

All Kendal marketing initiatives begin with a specific marketing plan.  This goal-oriented plan outlines all aspects of the marketing effort: staffing and budget, collateral material themes, advertising campaign, events, and clear progress expectations. All activities are directed toward attaining specific marketing goals. The corporate marketing staff provides hands-on training for the marketing activity database, coordinates all collateral material design and publication, consults and supports event planning, and maintains active day to day support and training for the marketing and support staff on all elements of the marketing effort.

Over the past fifteen years the Kendal staff have successfully completed over $400 million of total project financing. Kendal's successful track record and experience, conservative fiscal planning, and numerous personal contacts allow it to access favorable financing terms. In addition, Kendal has helped sponsors obtain over $18 million of seed capital to finance the development process. For over twenty years Kendal has worked with a number of state agencies to obtain the necessary approvals. Kendal staff has the experience, perspective, and know-how to obtain these often rigorous approvals.

Each Kendal community is designed to be compatible with the historical and architectural character of the surrounding neighborhood or region. There is no cookie-cutter approach. Beginning with an architectural program document that defines important program elements and the design characteristics, the Kendal staff works closely with an experienced team to design and engineer the facility. The process is iterative and includes ongoing input by the sponsor and future residents. Kendal employs an on-site owner's representative to ensure the project is constructed as required and that the project stays on budget and schedule. The current Kendal Corporation team has overseen over $250 million of new construction within the past fifteen years and brings that experience and insight to new projects.

The transition process from development to full-scale operations occurs during the construction period and is called "start-up". This is a critical, and time sensitive, process that ensures that the community will get off to a good start. The process of start-up involves many different facets of project oversight and operation, including staff hiring and orientation; formation of resident committees; obtaining health center certificates and licenses; selecting and ordering furniture, fixtures and equipment for community spaces; selecting telephone, cable and computer systems; selecting and purchasing equipment for dining services, housekeeping, maintenance, health services and on and on. Coordination of this process requires significant oversight and attention to detail. The successful experience of the Kendal team provides significant benefit to the sponsor and provides a smooth transition to Kendal's experienced Affiliate Services team.

For more information, please contact David Jones, Project Director, at 610-335-1245, or via email at info@kcorp.kendal.org.