Manor Senior Living, LLC, wants to convert an existing hotel into a senior assisted living complex in the Expressway Service District on 31525 Twelve Mile Rd., the previous Radisson Hotel.
Living arrangements
The Planning Commission of Farmington Hills on March 18 heard proposals for this and one other possible senior housing project.
The proposed site is primarily surrounded by commercial uses, would include 128 units for its seniors — 22 studios, 81 one-bedroom units, and four two-bedroom units. They plan on dedicating 21 of the units to memory care. The units would either be independent living or dependent living units.
However, the difference between assisted and independent living units does affect ordinance standards, said Planning Consultant Joe Tangari.
“Assisted living units are generally treated as components of convalescent care for the purposes of determining parking and density requirements,” said Tangari.
Independent living is generally treated as multi-family, but for the same purposes.
Design plans
Manor Senior Living will be renovating the entire interior and making small modifications to the exterior. Parking will be reduced to create more open spaces for benches and walkways.
They are also proposing a few cross-connections into the parking lot of the restaurant Chef’s Table as well as into the parking lot of Roberto’s Coney Island on Orchard Lake Road. So residents will have easy access to outside restaurants.
Approval for Public Hearing
The plans for Manor Senior Living, LLC has a few more steps before it is approved for a public hearing. Issues with lighting plans also needed to be addressed before approval. Commission Member Duke Orr said they need a few more things before its approval for a public hearing.
“We need to know a number that they’re going to be allowed for independent living versus assisted living,” said Orr, due to ordinance standards.
Douglas Boehm, executive director of Manor Senior Living and Comfort Care Senior Living, who spoke on behalf of Manor Senior Living, said possible issues may arise with the circulating of neighboring properties when creating those crossway connections into the parking lots.
“There are the supporting cables for the wiring that goes up and down Orchard Lake Road,” said Boehm. If we were to straighten out that driveway where the supporting cables come down and are staked to the ground, and I know that could be a very large hurdle to jump with the utility companies.”
After discussion, the commission approved the proposal for a public hearing in its next meeting.