Mayflower Retirement Community plans expansion, renovation project

One of Winter Park’s senior-living facilities has some big plans for expansion and renovation.

The Mayflower Retirement Community submitted requests for zoning and condition use to the city of Winter Park regarding a proposed expansion to the northwest of its community, 1620 Mayflower Court.

There also are plans to purchase an eight-acre piece of property nearby at 2141 Oakhurst Ave. On the combined existing and future property of 15.5 acres, the Mayflower plans to build a 58,117-square-foot, three-story health care (skilled nursing) building; a 20,672-square-foot, one-story memory care building; a 9,000-square-foot one-story clubhouse; and 40 new villa units.

The new clubhouse would include a dining venue and game room/activity space.

“Since we first opened our doors, The Mayflower has always set high standards … and we have continuously invested in excellence for our residents,” The Mayflower Retirement Community President and CEO Steve Kramer said in a prepared statement. “But, it is time to position our community for the future. Our goal for the expansion is to maintain and enhance the standard of living that our existing residents have come to expect, while looking ahead to capture the imagination of the next generation of prospects who might have different priorities.”

A significant portion of the project would feature renovations to the existing buildings, as well, including additional contemporary dining venues; a performance center; educational and activity space; and new wellness/spa/fitness facilities. 

There also are plans to incorporate updated, larger apartments in the current living areas.

The application is only the beginning of a multi-year process, Kramer said.

“Residents will benefit in many ways — with more and newer options for fitness/wellness, dining, programming, lifelong learning, socializing, intergenerational interaction and state-of-the-art healthcare,” he wrote.

The Mayflower first opened in 1989 and today includes 220 residential independent living apartments, 28 singe-family independent-living villas, and 31 assisted-living residences, plus an onsite 60-bed health center.

The requests will go before the Winter Park Planning and Zoning Board at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4. The City Commission is slated to review the requests on Monday, Jan. 22.