By Don Sergent – www.bgdailynews.com
Thirty-six years after it opened, Bowling Green Retirement Village is getting a new name to reflect its new ownership and will soon get a face-lift.
The 129-unit facility at 445 Middle Bridge Road, which provides independent living and assisted living apartments, was purchased Feb. 1 by Chicago-based Charter Senior Living and is now known as Charter Senior Living of Bowling Green.
“We’re excited to pick up Bowling Green Retirement Village as our first venture into Kentucky,” said Keven Bennema, chief executive officer of Charter Senior Living. “It has had a very good reputation for many years.”
Bennema would not reveal the previous owners of the retirement home. Kentucky secretary of state records list Louisville attorney Larry Zielke as the registered agent for Bowling Green Retirement Village Center Inc. and names Mike Howell as president and Glenda Howell as secretary.
Bennema said Charter’s new acquisition was “the first community of this kind to open in Bowling Green and has a long tradition of providing a great option for seniors.”
The longtime retirement home is joining a chain that is in its infancy. Charter, which was established in 2016, has 11 locations in six states and two other centers under construction.
Bennema, who has worked in the retirement home industry since 1993, said Charter isn’t planning to make personnel changes but will soon make some changes to the physical structure.
“We’ll make some necessary renovations,” Bennema said. “It will get some updating such as carpeting, painting and new signage. We want to continue to make it an appealing place. We hope to start the renovations within three to six months.”
In addition to the renovations, Bennema expects some changes in the center’s operations.
“This community is doing a good job with operations,” he said. “But we would like to enhance the services being provided. We want to make sure the residents have opportunities to be active, and we want to make some enhancements to the dining options.”
Bennema doesn’t expect Charter will make any changes in the number of rooms.
He said the retirement center is now running at 88 percent capacity, a number he would like to change.
“Our goal is to fill every bed,” he said.