Press Release from 2010 – This is our IntelliTurf (former business name) press release to the Senior Housing market over a decade ago.  The Synthetic Grass market is still in our opinion in its infancy.

For almost two decades synthetic turf products– basically special cloned fibers of green carpet – have been utilized by both single and multi-family builders who are steadfast in their beliefs there is unlimited future market growth for multi-uses of these ever-growing popular cost-efficient landscape materials,
and the booming senior housing industry is onboard as well.

One of the obvious growth markets for artificial turf, which has become very popular in current real estate trends for retired citizens, is Senior Housing.

During the next few years, demand for senior housing units will rise substantially as the leading edge of the baby boomers generation turned 60 years old last year. Americans are living longer. To accommodate the needs of senior citizens, developers are building higher end, amenity rich retirement properties, which offer a winder range of services for the seniors. Renovation of existing facilities by utilizing in house ollars is also a trend that will capture many new amenities.

“I think the genesis for synthetic turf was putting greens on university campuses,” said Michael Versen of Maryville, TN. A prominent landscape architect, Versen designed a putting green in 1994 for a rooftop garden on the Fort Sanders Hospital in downtown Knoxville, TN.

Michael Versen & Associates has long been a proponent of drawing and offering landscape plans for his developer clients’ properties which include varieties of synthetic turf uses. They consist of outdoor carpet products, including custom designs and installation of low-maintenance, beautiful lush green new lawns, backyards and other outdoor recreational uses.

One of Versen’s senior housing development clients is Life Care Centers of America, Inc., headquartered in Cleveland, TN. LCCA operates a portfolio of properties, including more than 200 skilled nursing homes, assisted living facilities and retirement living communities throughout the country as a recognized major senior housing industry leader.

Versen met Stan Pennington of IntelliTurf, Inc. while working together on an artificial turf installation project at the Garden Plaza of Cleveland (TN), an independent living property of Century Park Associates, a wholly-owned subsidiary of LCCA.

An avid golfer, Pennington began his turf career within the recreational industry designing and installing putting greens for private residences and multi-family complexes, prior to expanding his business and founding IntelliTurf in Atlanta a few years ago. His experience covers projects in 21 states and abroad; while IntelliTurf now has four locations and a business plan for offices in many major U.S. markets.

Soon after meeting Century Park principal Bryan Preston, Pennington became involved with designing and implementing five putting greens on Preston’s small private 17-acre golf course which surrounded his home in Tennesssee.

“I told my brother Farrell who heads our company construction and the development team in Cleveland they should look at Stan’s work because the results are as close to a ‘real grass surface’ as you can get,” Preston revealed.

The IntelliTurf synthetic line of over 60 different styles of carpet included low maintenance outdoor surface materials for a variety of recreational uses. IntelliTurf products are 100% recyclable and lead free and help many properties qualify for LEED points for those concerned and connected to the Green Building Council. Among other uses besides putting greens, lawn replacement, playgrounds, bocce and croquet courts are all popular for IntelliTurf products.

Century Park Associates is an owner/operator of 45 properties nationwide and utilizes IntelliTurf’s services at a number of their branded Garden Plaza Properties as well as other independent living facilities in various states.

After completing the Garden Plaza of Cleveland (TN.) project with architect Versen in 2005, Pennington’s company has built 10 synthetic turf amenities for Century Park senior housing properties in six states.

Builder/designer for the Preston family company, Farrell Preston stresses the difficulty of having outdoor amenity areas within and around Century Park’s senior housing buildings looking greener.

“You just can’t have it with natural grass because we have small areas to consider, and our maintenance people don’t know how to keep the grass ‘greener’, plus it’s an expensive proposition,” he asserted, “Stan’s synthetic products work for our needs, and we can utilize the larger installed areas for chairs and tables – and even weddings.”

Among recent CPA projects, IntelliTurf added an interior courtyard multi-use turf amenity for the Garden Plaza, Lawrenceville, GA., an Atlanta suburb, and putting greens and a bocce ball court at the Greenbriar Cove senior residence in Collegedale, TN., and the recent remodeled Garden Plaza of Valley View in Boise, ID.
“With tough winter months each year, and lack of direct sunlight environment, plus a short growing season for the Boise property, natural grass would have been impossible in this western U.S. location,” Pennington added.

Another national IntelliTurf client of note is Classic Residence by Hyatt, a major senior housing developer headquartered in Chicago. Hyatt has been in the senior housing business since 1987, and owns and operates over 20 communities throughout the country.

Highlands Ranch, just south of Denver, CO., and Silverstone in Scottsdale, AZ. are Classic Residence by Hyatt communities that have utilized IntelliTurf synthetic carpet. The Atlanta company has been responsible for a 5,000 square foot putting green at Highlands Ranch and a putting green located directly behind the sales office at the Silverstone property which is to open in the near future.

“Classic Residence installed the IntelliTurf putting green system at our Denver area Highlands Ranch community. We are very pleased with the low-maintenance, appearance and playability of the system,” offered Hyatt Project Director Adrian Bolders.

Lars Skylling, owner of IntelliTurf of Utah, Salt Lake City, recently completed a large green amenity project at Garden Plaza of Aurora, CO., just east of Denver. According to Skylling, there are winter days in both Denver and Salt Lake which sometimes reward residents with delightful outdoor sunny, 60 degrees weather.
“With low maintenance amenities like ours, the people can come outdoors on a mild afternoon and break up any winter blues they may have,” he said.
For his part, Pennington is rather bullish both Century Park Associates and Classic Residences by Hyatt understand what IntelliTurf offers, and how the firm’s involvement adds enjoyment to the lives of their senior residents.