HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-10-24, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019.
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Rutledge brings 15 years of experience to build
When it comes to building homes
for retirement-aged owners, time
and practice has made perfect
according to developer Gary
Rutledge.
Rutledge, who is behind the
significant development at the north
end of the village of Blyth, has built
numerous buildings and is on his
fourth different design for senior
living quarters.
Everything from the architecture
up is considered, Rutledge said.
“We look to accessibility,” he said.
“We have 36-inch-wide doors
because we know that seniors look
for that.”
He said things like lower
thresholds and accessibility features
can take big strides towards a
property being ideal for retirees and
seniors.
As for the interiors, Rutledge said,
over the years he’s discovered that
open-concept designs are more
desirable every year.
“Not many retirees have
experience with open concept living,
but they’re really loving it,” he said.
While darker finishes may be
more popular in design circles,
Rutledge said that, alongside the
open-concept spaces that his builds
feature, lighter, white designs are
what he employs. He said it makes
for a brighter, more open space.
The same theory applies to the
appliances he chooses, Rutledge
said, going with stainless steel.
The units feature radiant, in-floor
heating, Rutledge said, which can
take some getting used to for some
tenants.
He said it’s an easy decision to
make, especially with slab-cement
buildings.
“It’s good, especially in a place
like Blyth where there is natural
gas,” he said. “It’s efficient, though it
can be a learning experience.”
Some of the features have been
learned over time for Rutledge, who
has been building for seniors for
well over a decade.
“I learned from my first build that
to hit the market I’m aiming for, we
need lots of lighting,” he said. “I had
a tenant tell me that we needed more
so we made sure to change that
going forward”
Rutledge said he’s discovered a
few universal preferences like that.
One such change has been doing
away with cabinets, instead making
way for drawers.
Rutledge said that, in his
experience, typical cabinets present
a deeper field to work with for the
tenants, while drawers are easier to
use, from both a height and depth
perspective.
While, in his first projects,
Rutledge used different kinds of
flooring, he said he has found that
one specific type of flooring has
become a hit with tenants.
“We use non-slippery, easy-to-
wash flooring, and we’ve
implemented a few modern
touches,” he said.
In successive builds, Rutledge said
he has realized that garages need to
be wider, and, over time, he has
turned to the most efficient boilers as
possible for the buildings.
While he has learned from those
original builds, he said he hasn’t had
to change much in existing units
over the years thanks to listening to
tenants and bringing in experts.
This year, for example, he has
been working with Rick Hansen
Foundation Ambassador and local
accessibility expert Julie Sawchuk to
help create the most accessible
spaces possible in the next phases.
Learning while doing
Developer Gary Rutledge has spent a good deal of time building homes for retirement-aged
and senior residents. Above is the first phase of his development at the north end of Blyth on
Rutledge Street. (Denny Scott photo)
Plenty of space
Building for a specific audience means listening and
learning according to developer Gary Rutledge who said, in
his experience, larger driveways, garages and doors are
crucial for homes aimed at seniors. (Denny Scott photo)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen