Meadowlark hosted a housewarming event Wednesday, Sept. 27, for its new 24-unit independent living apartment building located on the main campus. The new building is called The Monarch and is located on the southeast corner of Meadowlark Road and Meadowlark Circle.  

Monarch residents and families, and Meadowlark team members and board members attended the party in the building’s Clubhouse, Terrace, and Patio. All 24 apartments within The Monarch are sold and occupied. The sales process for the new building began in 2019 and the project was put on hold after the pandemic began in 2020. On March 16, 2022, the crew broke ground on the much-anticipated project.

The project was born from a Community Needs Assessment, that determined Manhattan needed and could support more age-and income-appropriate housing. People who are considering a move to Meadowlark have indicated they enjoy the lifestyle that living on campus has to offer and would like to see a modern living option with high ceilings, lots of natural light, underbuilding parking, and pet friendly. The now completed Monarch building incorporates all these modern-living options and it is centrally located on Meadowlark’s campus, featuring two towers connected by a common space at the main level.

“Retirement living will continue to change,” said Lonnie Baker, CEO. “It is our priority at Meadowlark to continue evolving, ensuring the organization upholds its mission to meet the community needs and be a resource for the region and beyond.”

Baker appreciates the focused and dedicated efforts of Meadowlark’s Sales team during the entire process of designing, selling, and constructing the new building. “Abby Cavender, Doug Fiser, and Jayme Minton led the charge and successfully sold 23 of the 24 units before we even broke ground. They did a wonderful job, and we are proud to have them on our team.”

The Monarch building is another step in Meadowlark’s campus-expansion journey focused on wellness and enhancing lifestyle options and amenities. On Meadowlark’s campus there is a nature area at Bayer Pond and a trail system spanning the organization’s 55 acres. Within the outdoor nature area, residents and families can enjoy a fishing pond, two pond-side gazebos, a birding glen, wildflowers, and a variety of terrains throughout the trail system, which also features three beautiful bridges.

In July 2019, the courtyard, which is centrally located in the main building, was renovated and is now home to a fire pit, putting green, walking path, covered seating, outdoor dining options, and a bar and grill.

In August 2020, Meadowlark’s restaurant and pub expansion and kitchen renovation was completed. This project began before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and because of its completion date falling in the middle of heightened precautions, the restaurant opened for in-person dining for the first time on Feb. 8, 2021. Prairie Star Restaurant has expanded its pub and dining space and added event space.

A new medical office building was completed in December 2021 on Meadowlark’s land located off Tuttle Creek Boulevard next to the Blue Hills Shopping Center. CenterPointe Physicians, PA leases the 7,000 square foot clinic, continuing their community focus of primary care for all ages.

Meadowlark is a not-for-profit retirement community founded in 1980 by a group of local citizens and six Manhattan churches who wanted a better living option for older adults in the area. Today, Meadowlark continues to meet the needs of the community through living accommodations, post-acute care, home health care, outreach programs focused on memory support and Parkinson’s disease, and providing a supportive work environment for team members.