Nearly four years after the closure of the Madonna Nursing Home in Orl\u00e9ans, the company that operated the facility has submitted a plan to renovate and expand the vacant site into a 224-bed retirement and long-term care home. <\/p>\n
Nearly four years after the closure of the Madonna Nursing Home in Orl\u00e9ans, the company that operated the facility has submitted a plan to renovate and expand the vacant site into a 224-bed retirement and long-term care home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sienna Senior Living, which operated the former nursing home, wants to convert the existing three-storey building into a 160-bed comprehensive long-term care facility. Additionally, it proposes the construction of a new two-storey addition to be used as a 64-bed retirement home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Located in the Greenbelt portion of Orl\u00e9ans, the existing building is located on a 2.5-hectare property at 1541 St. Joseph Blvd. on the southern edge of the site.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 1.19-hectare parcel at 1533 St. Joseph Blvd. has been vacant since 2005, when a previous Madonna Nursing Home building was demolished.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In addition to 224 new senior beds, the proposal calls for 92 vehicle parking spaces, 10 bicycle parking spaces and two loading spaces with pedestrian connections. There are also plans for landscaping and outdoor amenity spaces.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe proposal aims to modernize the existing facility, enhance accessibility, site functionality and improve integration with surrounding landscapes,\u201d the application summary for the development said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The surrounding area is primarily occupied by farm land, with the White Sands Golf Course directly to the east and the Grace Hill Retirement Community located south on the other side of St. Joseph Boulevard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
An urban design brief for the project said the surrounding landscape was taken into consideration in the overall design.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt creates interest in the streetscape and a strong sense of place. The second building is positioned to improve the street presence and make the most of the undeveloped portion of the lot,\u201d the document said, adding the proposal represents \u201can efficient use of an existing developed site.\u201d
\nActivity in retirement real estate sector heats up
\nThe proposal comes as transactions in the senior living space are on the rise throughout the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to a report from real estate services firm Cushman and Wakefield released in February, the seniors housing market is poised to see a record-setting number of deals in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is significant momentum from both Canadian and U.S. investors looking to capitalize on the seniors housing and long-term care sectors,\u201d Sean McCrorie, vice-chair and practice leader for seniors housing at Cushman and Wakefield, said in a news release.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWith new entrants joining established firms in deploying capital, we expect to see even greater liquidity and deal flow across this active market.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n