Guardian Angels Blog

Guardian Angels is growing!

Guardian Angels • August 16, 2016

Guardian Angels believes it has a winning Otsego site

by Jim Boyle
Editor Elk River Star News
Guardian Angels leadership just wrapped up its most recent round of strategic planning, and they burst out of the board room like thoroughbreds coming out of the gate at Churchill Downs for running in the Kentucky Derby.

“We’re coming into our second 50-year run as we celebrated our 50th anniversary last year,” Guardian Angels CEO and President Dan Dixon said. “We’re so proud of the communities that have supported us and our staff, the residents, the members and the clients that have come.
“We’re committed to being there for the next 50 years as a quality senior care provider. We look forward to the future.”
The faith-based nonprofit has provided health care, housing and supportive services to seniors and their families in the spirit of Christ’s love since 1965, Dixon said.
The organization’s hub is in Elk River with its 120-bed skilled nursing unit, and it has spokes out to other locations in Elk River, Zimmerman, Becker, Albertville and Coon Rapids with at least one more coming.
As part of its strategic planning, its board of directors prioritized its next three building projects, starting first with a crown jewel of a project it will propose on the Mississippi River in Otsego.
The city, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this past year but has yet to land senior housing, will welcome the proposal. The Otsego City Council has identified senior housing as a top economic development goal.
“It’s an amenity that the city currently doesn’t have and one that the council feels is important to provide,” Otsego City Administrator Lori Johnson said. “We understand the importance of being able to stay in your community as you age and, further, that it is important to younger residents to have senior housing close to their homes to relocate aging family.”
Otsego officials have had conversations with several senior housing developers in the past couple of years, Johnson said. Otsego has been on Dan Dixon’s radar ever since he arrived in Elk River 15 years ago. Graphic illustrations by Pope Architects Guardian Angels is now working on the feasibility of a 100- to 120-bed facility on land it now owns in the Waterfront East development of Otsego.
The facility would have a main dining room serving meal options seven days a week along with all the other amenities other sites have, including transportation. A portion of the 15-acre property it bought is being sold with the thought of a luxury apartment complex being built next door.

“I had housing staff tell me, with the waiting list Guardian Angels Elk River has, if housing could be built in Otsego, we could fill it,” he said.
Dixon has found himself checking out farm fields here and there over the years in Otsego, but never really saw one that jumped out as a good fit.
When Ron Touchette, Guardian Angels’ real estate agent and volunteer for the organization showed them the Waterfront East space, Guardian Angels leadership embraced it immediately and got to work and closed on the property in recent weeks.
“It’s an absolutely beautiful piece of land, made available through others’ misfortune, really,” Dixon said of the property that was foreclosed on after the economy soured. “Other people suffered because of it. It’s available and its a significant location for Guardian Angels.”
Dixon said his organizations hopes to create a great partnership with the city of Otsego, a big economic driver for the entire Waterfront development and get Guardian Angels established before any competition has a chance to gain a foothold on the area.
The hope is to build a facility in 2017. The idea sits will with Otsego Mayor Jessica Stockamp.
“I believe Guardian Angels has earned an excellent reputation in the area and we would be excited to welcome them to a new site in Otsego,” she said.
Waterfront East, although originally planned as a retail hub, is being considered for other uses.
“The market has changed significantly since Waterfront East was originally platted, and the city needs to respond to those market changes,” Johnson said. “The Planning Commission and City Council will determine through the application and review process if senior housing fits with the new vision for Waterfront East.”
She said it’s easy to see why Guardian Angels was attracted to the site, noting it’s a beautiful location along the river next to a city park. Plus, it has restaurants and retail in very close proximity, Johnson said.
“It appears to be a good fit for the location,” Johnson added.
Next on the strategic building plan for Guardian Angels would be an expansion of Engel Haus in Albertville. It has filled the 63-bed facility and has land it can expand on. Guardian Angels hopes to do that in 2019 or 2020.
And the third project would be to construct a four-story senior housing facility at the site of The Gym and Flowers Plus, which Guardian Angels recently purchased for $750,000 to help it complete its Elk River campus in the next five years or so.

Otsego project first on deck
Dixon and his board did not want to lose out on the opportunity to serve Otsego, and when presented the idea of the riverfront property, the organization got right to work.
Guardian Angels is now working on the feasibility of a 100- to 120-bed facility on the land it now owns to see what the logical breakdown of units would be for independent living, assisted living and memory care.
“We want to go four stories tall so we gain the views of the river as amenities for the seniors,” Dixon said. Graphic illustrations by Pope Architects This aerial perspective shows Guardian Angels and a potential neighbor in relationship to the Mississippi River. These are the hopes of the senior housing provider, which will submit application to the city of Otsego later this year.

The facility would have a main dining room serving meal options seven days a week along with all the other amenities other sites have, including transportation.
The project, like Guardian Angels’ projects in Albertville and in Coon Rapids with Autumn Glenn, would feature the latest remote monitoring technology. E-Neighbor technology helps staff monitor the seniors in their daily activities and helps detect health concerns before they are even known by the staff member or the senior.
It notices things like lack of motion, lack of movement, the number of times a refrigerator door opens, the medicine cabinet gets accessed and the number of times a resident gets in and out of bed.
“It can alert the caregiver to check the unit,” Dixon said. “No longer does the loved one end up on the bathroom floor with not being able to summon help or a nurse.
“The technology helps us maintain a higher quality of service and helps us to work smarter.”
The plan also calls for making use of the riverfront and to construct a foot bridge over the mile-long retaining pond that parallels the Mississippi River.
The long-range plan is to expand the facility 200 to 250 beds.
“The future is here,” Dixon said. “The baby boomers are coming. The expectations (are) for quality, less cost and for the latest technological advancements.”
The senior housing provider, which employs more than 600 and provides services for more than 3,000 people annually, is also looking at selling a portion of the 15-acre site it bought to a developer of luxury senior apartments.
Among the ideas that have been presented by a suitor are a fourth-story restaurant with views of the river and a pool as well as a food co-op and assorted retailers on the first floor to accompany the senior housing project.
Guardian Angels is working with Pope Architects on drawings of both facilities, which would be linked by a skyway of some type. Meanwhile, it is also vetting the possible purchaser of the land targeted for senior apartments.
Guardian Angels has begun talks with Otsego city officials about industrial revenue bonds that would be needed to be sold to finance the project.
Guardian Angels will be selecting a contractor and will go before the Otsego Council later this year to begin the process for gaining project approvals.
“A year from now in July, we would like to have the bonding completed and the footings going in before freeze-up,” Dixon said.
That would also bode well for the next two projects.
“There’s a rhythm and a momentum and a sense of urgency to the population explosion that we’re having,” Dixon said. “We feel like we can do a project every other year, and with our infrastructure and staffing we manage though it.”

For more information please contact Kari McHenry, Marketing Director, @ 763-241-4466 or kmchenry@ga-er.org

Share this post:

View More Posts

By Guardian Angels November 19, 2024
Guardian Angels Senior Services has been awarded a $600,000 grant to enhance senior care in rural Minnesota. This funding will help build integrated community ecosystems, ensuring older adults receive the compassionate support they need to thrive. Together, we are dedicated to fostering independence and well-being for our seniors. The post Guardian Angels Senior Services Receives Grant from LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation appeared first on Guardian Angels Senior Services.
May 29, 2024
Guardian Angels Senior Services is busy planning a summer event you won’t want to miss! Our upcoming Angels & Birdies Golf Tournament is scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, 2024. This will be Guardian Angels’ 9th annual golf tournament. The Elk River Golf Club will host our Angels & Birdies Golf Tournament with a shotgun start at 12:00 pm on June 5. This scramble tournament includes a light lunch, contests, raffles, and a classic summer BBQ dinner. The winning team will have the opportunity to allocate a $500 Prize Purse to the Guardian Angels program or site of their choice. The post Angels & Birdies Golf Tournament appeared first on Guardian Angels Senior Services.
March 14, 2024
Explore the compassionate, skilled home health care services offered by Triniti Home Health & Hospice. From personalized rehabilitation to professional nursing and supportive social work, discover how our team provides holistic care in the comfort of your home. The post What to Expect with Home Health Care appeared first on Guardian Angels Senior Services.
By Guardian Angels March 13, 2024
Explore the art of aging gracefully with our comprehensive Senior Health Guide. Learn practical tips and lifestyle adjustments that promise a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling life as you navigate the golden years. From embracing physical activity to maintaining a balanced diet and fostering mental well-being, unlock the secrets to vitality and joy in later life. The post Senior Health Guide: Tips for Aging Gracefully appeared first on Guardian Angels Senior Services.
March 13, 2024
Hear directly from Margie, a long time resident of Guardian Angels. Margie is 95 years old and still goes to our GA Wellness Club a few times a week. Margie enjoys spending time with other residents playing cards, in group fitness classes and eating dinner together. Guardian Angels has independent senior living, assisted living, memory care, transitional rehab, long-term care and hospice care. The post Our Stories: Margie appeared first on Guardian Angels Senior Services.
By Guardian Angels March 13, 2024
At the core of Guardian Angels, a faith-based nonprofit senior care organization, lies the Employee Empower Program, designed to uplift and support its dedicated staff. Through financial assistance, personal development, wellness initiatives, and community engagement, this program exemplifies the organization's commitment to nurturing both those in its care and those who provide that care. The post Guardian Angels Employee Empower Program appeared first on Guardian Angels Senior Services.
Show More