Music industry to build senior living community

The music industry today announced it will build a $95 million continuing-care senior living community to be located at Westhaven in historic Franklin, Tenn. The dream for this community began 18 years ago when a task force was first named to study the idea.

The Crescendo at Westhaven, the first senior living community to be owned by the music industry, will offer the highest level of services and amenities. While having a visible affinity with the music industry, The Crescendo will be open to all adults age 62 and over. It will be situated on 15 acres in the northeast section of Westhaven, one of the most prestigious and desirable communities in the nation. Fronting Highway 96, it is just 10 minutes from the Cool Springs area and less than 30 minutes from Nashville.

Upon completion, the community will feature 180 independent living residences and a full skilled nursing facility. Three levels of exceptional service and care will be available to residents: independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing. It will also be the only community of its kind to feature a recording studio and several performance venues. Groundbreaking is projected for 2011, with occupancy anticipated in 2013. Apartment homes ranging from 750 to 2,000 square feet are currently available from the low-$300s to the low-$600s.

The Crescendo Music Community Fund will endeavor to provide assistance for qualified music industry retirees, including support for necessary services at The Crescendo. The CMC Fund, previously known as the Retirement of Professional Entertainers, is a non-profit organization with a volunteer board of music industry and community leaders. The CMC Fund will also own The Crescendo and oversee its management. Official fundraising efforts will launch this fall. The Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music, the Opry Trust Fund and the Reunion of Professional Entertainers have thus far provided seed funding.

Superstar and CMC Fund board member Martina McBride said, "There are people who might work for an artist for 20 or 25 years, and when the artist retires, they may be without a job. A lot of these people, through no fault of their own, have not been able to plan for their futures. Some of the folks who work tirelessly behind the scenes might need our support, and that's what we want to provide."

Steve Buchanan of Gaylord Entertainment and President of the CMC Fund Board of Directors said, "The CMC Fund Board is thrilled to see this project take such an important leap forward. This spectacular facility creates the opportunity for those in the music industry to continue to share and enjoy the camaraderie and relationships that shaped their professional life. And, the Fund will be there to assist those who may not be fully qualified from a financial perspective."

The Crescendo at Westhaven will be developed in a unique partnership with Blakeford Development Services, a Nashville-based senior living developer and manager of first-class senior living communities.

Larry Larkin, chairman of Blakeford's board of directors, commented, "This development offers residents a fantastic lifestyle combined with the benefit of long-term health care, which is what makes the 'continuum of care' model attractive to seniors. This community gives Blakeford the opportunity to meet the residential, social and health care needs of seniors living in Middle Tennessee in a distinctive, mixed-use and multi-generational setting. We feel the association with the music industry will significantly enhance and add additional excitement to the development's success."

Franklin City Mayor John Schroer said, "The Crescendo at Westhaven is an exciting development, and will be a great neighbor and a tremendous asset to our community."

Preliminary plans for the community are inspired by the Franklin area's historic, classic Southern architecture, and feature spacious areas and courtyards where residents can gather, both indoors and out. There will be a variety of dining venues, ranging from a high-end, restaurant-style dining room to a café, as well as patio dining.

Plans also include music-related amenities such as performance venues, recording capabilities, a music library and programming activities which will provide residents with a sense of connection to the current music industry, including opportunities to continue making and sharing music.

The Crescendo at Westhaven will be open to adults age 62 and over, with an entrance fees based on residence size and program options selected. Ninety percent (90%) of this entrance fee is refundable when one no longer resides in the community. A monthly fee covering all expenses usually associated with home ownership will be determined by residence size and services selected. In addition, a full range of wellness, lifestyle activity and entertainment programs will be available.

Westhaven, a Southern Land Company development, is a 1,500-acre master-planned community that encompasses a mix of residential neighborhoods with single- family homes, townhomes and condos, along with a commercial Town Center offering a variety of retail spaces including a major grocery store, bank, restaurants and a medical clinic. Westhaven clearly reflects Southern Land's attention to architectural standards, exceptional landscaping and green spaces. It will also include an 18-hole golf course, presently under construction.

To complete the team, Charlotte-based Spectrum Marketing, a nationally-recognized leader in marketing and research for senior living communities, is providing due diligence and will open an on-site sales office this fall. The Crescendo at Westhaven will need to pre-sell 70% of its planned independent living residences to obtain financing.

Also an integral part of the team is Atlanta-based THW Design, one of the nation’s top firms specializing in planning, architecture and design for senior living communities. THW recently presented preliminary site-planning and conceptual design sketches for The Crescendo to developers.

For more information, call 615-595-6614 or visit www.thecrescendo.org