About Church Hill Village

Teton Capital Co., AEW Capital Management and Senior Lifestyle Corporation developed Church Hill Village, a 71-unit assisted living and memory care community opened in January 2020.  Located in the heart of bucolic Newtown, Connecticut, the design of Church Hill Village was inspired by the household model of care.  Shifting away from institutional facilities concerned only with efficiency of care, this concept reflects qualities and intimate spaces of home that are familiar to residents.  For example, instead of one large rectangular building, scale is reduced and humanized by dispersing units into separate, smaller buildings.  

Church Hill Village is arrayed with four distinct perimeter neighborhoods resembling spacious one-story, single-family homes; three are dedicated for assisted living with 16 to 17 units each, and one is a secure building with 22 memory care beds in 20 units.  Each neighborhood has a central common area, beautifully decorated as an open-plan family room with breakfast bar/sink, dining table and seating area facing a brick fireplace.  The common area of each assisted living neighborhood is flanked by two dwelling wings that each have well-appointed seating areas, some of which include live walls and gaming tables.  The core and wings of these neighborhoods have large glass pyramid roofs and skylights flooding spaces beneath with abundant natural light.  The memory care neighborhood is built around a secure outdoor courtyard lined with glass walls, also providing natural light for and views from the surrounding living, dining and activity rooms.  

Running down the spine of the village, these four dwelling neighborhoods are connected to community common areas located in the “Farmhouse” and “Barn” buildings which include the main lobby, living room with fireplace and bar, administrative offices, discovery room, salon, wellness and fitness area, spa, creation studio, private dining room, commercial kitchen, theater/multi-purpose room, staff room, laundry, storage and service/receiving areas.  Wide glass-walled connecting corridors link these common area buildings with the neighborhoods providing additional natural light and creating easily accessible outdoor activity spaces, each of which has a different theme (e.g., gardening, walking, gaming and putting green).

In order to break up the mass of the common area buildings and best utilize the sloping site, a glass-walled bridge, supported by steel beams, spans the void between and connects the Farmhouse to the second floor of the Barn.  Raising this structure above the ground allows for a covered outdoor lounge and walking path beneath it as well as for deliveries and service to the ground floor of the Barn without disturbing residents. However, the real beauty of the “Bridge” is what it offers the residents; a unique space surrounded by insulated glass walls, high vaulted ceilings and clerestory roof that brings sunshine and the outdoors in.  Serving as the main dining area, the Bridge is also a place for group gatherings, individual reflection, high tea, small lectures/readings and more.

Church Hill Village’s quality of care, innovative design, and centralized location have made it a valuable Town resource.