Cedarhurst Opens New Location
July 25, 2009

On July 25, Cedarhurst opened in Collinsville. Cedarhurst is owned by a local investment company, Metro Asset Group, headed by Joshua Jennings of St. Louis. The property is managed by Frontier Management of Oregon. "It has been very exciting to be involved in the start up of this great community” said Carla Riva of Cedarhurst. “We had a great turn out for our Grand Opening Celebration. I would like to thank the community for all of their support. I look forward to being part of the success of Cedarhurst" said Riva. Cedarhurst is located at 1207 Vandalia Ave in Collinsville. For more information, contact Carla Riva at 618-343-0800.

Housing Project to Fill Void for Collinsville Seniors
Cedarhurst Slated for June 15 Opening
By Mike Terry, Collinsville Herald
June 1, 2009

Builders are putting the finishing touches on a $9 million assisted living center they predict will fill a major need for senior housing in Collinsville.

The three-story, 57,000-square-foot Cedarhurst of Collinsville facility is open for tours, with the first residents set to move in on June 15.

"I've already seen the inside and think it's wonderful," said Lois Lane, 79, of Collinsville, who will be among that initial wave. "It will really take the burden off my daughter, who has been helping take care of me."

Located next to Son-Life Church at 1207 Vandalia St., Cedarhurst has 68 units, gathering rooms, a community kitchen, dining area, laundry facilities, a spa, a hair salon and a wellness center for regular doctor checkups. All of the apartment-style units have one bedroom, a kitchen and bathroom.

"Other assisted living centers are set up like an apartment complex," said Joshua Jennings, who owns developer Metro Asset Group. "This is more like a luxury hotel.”

The project broke ground in April 2008. It is the developers' first living center. Another is planned in Shiloh.

Jennings said the firm researched most of the area and found a need in the Collinsville area for high-level assisted senior living. Many who have already signed on with the complex agree.

"The appeal of this facility was location," said Collinsville resident Glenn Drenkhahn, whose mother Marjorie Drenkhahn, 89, has been living for many years at Cambridge House in Maryville. Although he said her experience at Cambridge has been a good one, he says the daily visits can really add up and become time consuming.

"I know to a lot of people, it might not seem that far going to Maryville," he said. "But (Cedarhurst) is only a half mile from where I live and on the way to work. So it's much easier for me and she likes the idea of being right in town."

Even for seniors who are still getting around well, Cedarhurst uses a model called "age in place," where individuals can start out living independently while getting daily meals and light housekeeping. As they need more assistance from others, the center is licensed to provide around-the-clock care with one caregiver for every six residents.

"We provide a service to the community that nobody else has," said Cindy Kenney, an office manager at the site.

Residents will also be provided with homemade meals, regular exercise activities, field trips and access to the city's bus transportation.

"We try to find the best practices in the industry. Not just copy what is already out there," Jennings said. "If you focus on what is best for the resident, I think you end up with a more superior product."

Metro East Developer is Bullish on Assisted Living
By Terry Hillig, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
May 8, 2009

Joshua Jennings, 31, owner of the Cedarhurst of Collinsville assisted living facility stands outside the development. The facility is scheduled to open in early June. Photo: David Carson/P-D

Collinsville — In the weakest economy in decades, Joshua Jennings is thinking expansion.  Jennings, 31, a developer, plans to open next month Cedarhurst of Collinsville — a $9 million, 68-unit assisted-living community.  In June or early July, he plans to break ground for Cedarhurst of Shiloh — a $12 million, 87-unit assisted living community.  And he says there are plans for four more assisted-living communities, all in the Metro East.

"We're trying to bring state-of-the-art assisted living to Metro East," said Jennings, who heads Metro Asset Group of St. Louis. He said studies show a substantial need for assisted-living housing in the Illinois counties.
Workers are putting the finishing touches on Cedarhurst of Collinsville.  It is at 1207 Vandalia Street on land that was part of the former campus of Collinsville High School. Scheduled to open June 15, it will offer studio and one-bedroom apartments, each with a kitchenette and oversize bathroom.

The three-story, 37,000-square-foot complex will have a full-service kitchen and dining room, a two-story community living room, a spa, a barber shop/hair salon, a library-computer lab and numerous activity spaces.  It also will have round-the-clock security and health care staffing.

Cedarhurst residents will get three daily meals, housekeeping and linen service and as much help as they need with personal hygiene, dressing, medications and laundry.  The monthly rental fees — starting at $1,900 for studio units and $2,500 for one-bedroom units — also will include scheduled transportation, wireless Internet, basic cable television and all utilities except for telephone.

The complex was designed by the Farnsworth Group, a national engineering and architectural firm with an office in St. Louis.  The construction contractor is Brase Construction of Troy, Ill.
"We think it looks like a Victorian mansion," said Carla Riva of Highland, who will be administrator and director of nursing for the facility.  Oregon-based Frontier Management will have overall management responsibility.

Jennings said he grew up in Effingham, Ill., thinking about a career as an investment banker in New York City but that he was not sorry that didn't pan out. After earning a bachelor's degree at the University of Illinois and a law degree from Washington University, he decided to stay in St. Louis.  He lives in the Central West End with his girlfriend.

While in law school, Jennings met David Hauschild, a lawyer-turned-developer in St. Louis County.  Jennings said Hauschild was a mentor who helped him understand how to be a developer and helped him get started.

"I don't practice law, I just do assisted living," Jennings said. He said he had been working on the Collinsville project for 2½ years.

Jennings said Cedarhurst of Shiloh would be built in the 100 block of West Julie Street and probably open in May or June of next year. He said he and other investors planned to retain ownership and operate the facilities.

Jennings said he anticipated developing four more such communities despite the current economic situation.

He declined to say where they might be situated.

He said that although most of the industry was taking a wait-and-see approach, he hoped to maintain momentum.

"We think Metro East is a very good place," he said.