MADISON — The plans originally called for an outdoor ceremony — a grand opening with guest speakers, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremonially opening the next phase in the All Saints Neighborhood in Madison.
Like many good things — God had other plans.
Rainy conditions precipitated the need to move the program indoors, which presented an opportunity to show off some of the features of the new project.
The ceremony marked the completion of the All Saints Neighborhood Main Street Expansion in Madison.
All Saints Neighborhood provides resident-centered living options for seniors in the Madison area ranging from senior apartments to assisted living and memory care facilities.
The 200,000 square foot expansion increased the living options offered on the campus — such as more senior apartments and a new assisted living facility — as well as developed a destination “Main Street” space that includes a chapel, a wellness center, a variety of dining venues, and a greenhouse.
It also includes leasable space for services compatible with the neighborhood and open to the public, such as family eye care services, physical therapy services, and a pharmacy. Plans are in the works for these services to be housed in the neighborhood in the next several months.
Grand opening ceremony
Instead of being held outdoors in the new neighborhood, the September 22 grand opening ceremony was held in the newly-built chapel.
Bishop Robert C. Morlino celebrated Mass and blessed the new chapel a couple of weeks prior to the grand opening.
The chapel will be used for Masses and other events at the All Saints campus.
The first speaker at the ceremony — attended by All Saints residents, staff, and guests – was Jackson Fonder, president and CEO of Catholic Charities Madison, which owns the facilities.
“I’m so thrilled with the way this project turned out,” said Fonder, calling it “stunning”.
He called the chapel the “centerpiece of All Saints Neighborhood”.
“I’m so grateful for the role Catholic Charities has played in this project,” Fonder added.
He also spoke about the tagline of All Saints Neighborhood — “A neighborhood like neighborhoods used to be.
“Where friendships are forged, neighbor helps neighbor, and the community is bonded together by shared values,” Fonder added.
He also recognized the different companies, organizations, and workers that helped the project come to completion.
“Thank you for the countless hours of work that went into making this expansion such an incredible success,” Fonder said.
Bishop Morlino spoke next before blessing the expansion.
“I’m so proud of you who are coming together to be a community where faith, hope, and charity are alive in Christ,” Bishop Morlino said.
He also told the residents, “Know that your priests remember you and pray for you.
“They are a wonderful army of intercessors . . . Please remember them in your prayers and keep them in your heart.”
He then blessed the new buildings, praying, “Bless, O Lord, almighty God, this place that under its shelter be health, chastity, self conquest, humility, goodness, mildness, obedience to your commandments, and thanksgiving to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May your blessing remain all time on this dwelling and bless all those live here through Christ, our Lord.”
All Saints Board of Directors Chair Gerry Ring spoke next.
Ring has been instrumental in the developments of all the All Saints facilities for the past 20 years.
“We are so proud,” he said, adding he thought “we’re done,” when he attended the recent chapel dedicated, but added he would like to see a nursing home facility also added as the next part of the All Saints Neighborhood.
He thanked former Catholic Charities Madison President Brian Cain for all his work and vision making All Saints a reality.
Other speakers included John Faust from Horizon Development and Construction; Paul Skidmore, ninth district alder for the City of Madison; David Griffin, president of ElderSpan Management, which manages All Saints; and Kari Harpold from the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce.
“This is the day that gives you the greatest joy,” Faust said. “The day that you show off all you’ve worked on over the years.”
Ribbon cutting and reception
Following words by the speakers, they, along with other people who helped with the project, proceeded to the Main Street area near the chapel for the ribbon cutting.
The Main Street area is a reception space open to all All Saints residents and guests where they can come together for a variety of activities.
During his talk, Griffin remarked how he was in the Main Street space the day before the ceremony and saw residents gathered for a performance by members of the Madison Symphony Orchestra.
Griffin said, “What a fantastic neighborhood All Saints has now become.”
Following the ribbon-cutting, there was a reception and tours of the new facilities.
Seen on the tour were the skywalk across Commerce Dr. that connects the senior apartment buildings, a welcoming area rotunda, along with new activity rooms.
More about All Saints Neighborhood
“Over the last 10 years, All Saints Neighborhood has provided independent and assisted living options to hundreds of seniors in the Madison area,” said Fonder.
“The neighborhood’s excellent reputation, coupled with the unique aspects of this expansion, has created an amazing response from the community already. Seniors and their families are recognizing this truly is a special place offering services no one else does in South Central Wisconsin.”
All Saints Neighborhood offers condominiums and duplex ranch-style homes for purchase, 144 independent apartments, 48 service-enhanced apartments, and 63 assisted living apartments.
The memory care residence — formerly under the same roof as the assisted living apartments — is currently being remodeled, which will increase the number of studios from 18 to 40.
Partners in the new $20 million completed project include Horizon Development and Construction, ElderSpan Management, Architecture 2000, and Wisconsin Bank and Trust.
For more information about All Saints Neighborhood, call 608-827-2772 or visit www.allsaintsneighborhood.org