The Lodge at Bethany
Project is expected to be completed Dec. 2015
Special to the Herald
November 3, 2014
In 2006, Bethany Assisted Living Inc. was the recipient of a major gift from the Gesmon Neville Family. Coupled with a partial purchase, Bethany was able to acquire the single largest undeveloped tract of real property within the city limits of Statesboro, known as the Neville Family Farm.
The farm is located at the intersection of Country Club Road and West Jones Avenue/Cypress Lake Road.
The Board of Trustees of Bethany Assisted Living officially broke ground at the site in early September of what is being constructed as a 48-unit assisted living facility, with 24 units of traditional assisted living and 24 units of memory care assisted living.
The facility will be known as The Lodge at Bethany and will be the flagship for the Bethany Community.
“Bethany Assisted Living Inc. is unique in that it is a nonprofit, denominationally owned and operated organization that has a rich history and proven record of quality and compassionate health care to seniors,” said Becky Livingston, the CEO of Bethany. “The Primitive Baptist denomination is the owner and operator of the assets of this organization.
“The determination to meet the needs of the elderly began in 1923 and continues to be the determination behind the mission of the current governing Board of Trustees, who are all members of the Primitive Baptist faith.”
The members of the current governing Board of Trustees represent the denomination in governing and operating the nonprofit Bethany Assisted Living.
The current board members are: William M. Trapnell, chairman; Edwin E. Akins, vice chairman, Sherri M. Dollar, secretary-treasurer, William R. Smith, Julian I. Deal, Wade McElveen, Terry Manuel, Janelle Hughes and Carolyn Phillips.
The Lodge at Bethany will be a single-story construction of about 44,000 square feet.
The units within the facility will range from approximately 270 square feet for memory care to 400 square feet for traditional care. The memory care portion of the complex will be secure.
Also, the complex will house common areas including dining facilities, public and private dining, a wellness/therapy center, a beauty/barber area, and several areas that will house activity areas for Bethany residents, including a cyber café and a theater.
The board is currently considering the possibility of adding independent living cottages on the property as a part of the senior community, as well. However, the flagship of the development is The Lodge at Bethany.
The architectural firm CDH Partners, who specializes in senior living and religious designs, has designed a complex that will meet the individual needs of residents and families.
The modern design also qualifies Bethany for the new Assisted Living Community status provided for in 2013 Georgia legislation.
The local construction firm Pope Construction Company, who has been working with Bethany since 2006, will “ensure that the quality of the construction meets the standards that our residents expect and warrant,” Livingston said.
Livingston also said equally important is the desire and determination that the programming offered by The Lodge will be innovative, research-based programming that helps the residents to live well.
“For the families, The Lodge at Bethany will be a haven of assistance, inspiration, and comfort where they can know that their loved one is being engaged and stimulated to the maximum degree possible,” Livingston said.
Because The Lodge intends to be licensed as an assisted living community in the state of Georgia, it is anticipated that the residents will be able to “age in place” longer than individuals might otherwise in a personal care home.
Currently, there is not a facility with the assisted living community designation in Statesboro or the surrounding counties that has met the qualifications of the newly authorized status of an ALC.
With this qualification, Bethany will be able to offer its’ residents health care that exceeds what could be offered in a facility that only has the personal care home qualifications.
The project is expected to be completed by December 2015.
The Grace Place Church 