Moldaw Family Residences, California

Project Selection

The project may contain a number of the following features but it has been identified by the Steering Committee specifically because it:

The following project description was formed using information obtained from the Taube Koret Campus and Moldaw Residences websites: www.taubekoretcampus.org , www.moldaw.org .

Project Overview

The Moldaw Family Residences at 899 Charleston is the senior living community at the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life in Palo Alto, California. It was opened it 2009 with the goal of fostering opportunities for older adults to engage with people of all ages as they participate in activities an organisations on the campus.

Why it is an innovative project

A recent visit to Taube Koret confirmed the truly intergenerational nature of this project. The impetus for the project came from the need to rebuild a community centre and a seniors housing community. The project is now a vibrant community for all ages where thousands of different people use the site every day. Intergenerational opportunities are “naturally occurring”; they are not the outcome of social service programs.

The Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life is a place that seeks to integrate architecture, service models and faith to create a place for “everyone to learn study and grow”. It is one of the few purpose built intergenerational housing projects this project has been able to identify anywhere in the world.  It has facilities and programs serving pre-schoolers to pre-teens, adolescents and adults of all ages.

Service Model

The Moldaw Residences service model is based on 5 principles:

• Remain enthusiastically active: The Oshman Family Jewish Community Center (OFJCC) is located next door to the Moldaw residences. Membership to the Center is included with residency and offers access to fitness, learning and social activities.
• Engage with others in the community: The architecture of Moldaw is designed to create a village-like campus through clustered buildings, walkways and courtyards. The idea is to bring people together from all faiths and walks of life through shared plans, experiences and conversations.
• Explore multi-generationalism:  Moldaw’s goal to cross generational and cultural lines whenever possible is realised through a community designed to keep you “shoulder-to shoulder and arm-in-arm” with people of all ages and backgrounds. Through groups and classes at the OFJCC, cultural and entertainment events at the Taube Koret Campus and the Preschool and Early Childhood & Family Education Center, multi-generationalism is a fundamental part of the Moldaw lifestyle.
• Balance interests, activities and relationships: Integrated education, family, community and arts programs are available to residents as part of Moldaw’s “convenience” design ethic.
• Heritage: The Moldaw residences are designed to be “all new, with a distinct sense of history”, located by the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life, Schultz Cultural Arts Hall and Early Childhood Programs.
  
  

Key elements

• Membership at the 30,000-square-foot Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, with full access to aquatics, fitness, educational and cultural programs
• Performances, speakers and events at the Arts and Cultural Center
• Flexible dining plan that includes private dining, fine dining, casual fare, kosher, Jewish-style and carry-out
• Housekeeping and linen service
• Valet service with underground parking
• Interior and exterior maintenance
• Utilities paid, with discounted cable TV, telephone and Internet
• Concierge assistance with appointments and transportation
• Fireside lounge and bar
• Club room
• 24-hour security
• Beauty salon

Specialised care for residents with Alzheimer’s and age-related dementia is available in Moldaw’s Memory Care Suites. Located on the Taube Koret campus, Memory Care Suites include:

• Care plans based on individual needs, with attention to life history and health concerns
• Living spaces and common areas structured to help residents live as independently as possible
• Private suites and apartments in a specially designed secure area with emergency response systems
  
  

As a continuing care retirement community, Moldaw Family Residences will support access for residents’ future health care, if needed. Personalised assisted living services will be available and residents will have priority access to skilled nursing care through affiliation with the Jewish Home of San Francisco.

The Built Environment

The Moldaw Family Residences was designed as a concept of ‘eight houses’ around a pedestrian walkway, called the Midrachov. This layout is designed to create more privacy in individual residences, while fostering greater opportunity for multi-generational social connections. Along with new residences, features include art studios, a library and business centre, dining venues and a spa/salon. There are 193 private residences for up to 250 residents scattered throughout the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life.

The Taube Koret Campus has incorporated state-of-the art, eco-conscious building practices, systems and programs into its planning, design and construction and is working to become a silver-rated LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified project. Daniel Ruth, President and CEO of Moldaw Family states: “The goal is to ensure that not only is the Taubet Koret Campus green-focused, but that all residents, visitors and staff are as well.”

Steinberg Architects received the following awards for incorporating enrichment and innovation into the design of our campus from the National Association of Home Builders:

• 2008 Gold Award, NAHB Best of 50+ Housing
• 2008 Innovation Award, NAHB Best of 50+ Housing
  
  

Who the project serves

Moldaw Family Residences welcomes older people of all faiths, ethnicities and racial backgrounds.

Funding Sources

The Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life is a collaborative initiative founded in 2001 by the Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center (now Oshman Family JCC) in Palo Alto, the Jewish Home in San Francisco, the Jewish Community Federation and local community leaders. The Moldaw Family Residences was developed by the Jewish Home of San Francisco, regional offices for the Jewish Community Federation and offices for other non-profits serving the Jewish community. The Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life Foundation is a supporting foundation of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund.

Project Auspice

Moldaw Family Residences is an initiative of the Jewish Home of San Francisco. The Jewish Home of San Francisco is a private, not-for-profit charitable organization providing care and services to older adults in a home-like environment. The organization has grown to become a comprehensive senior care center serving 430 residents.  Moldaw Family Residences is an integral part of the Jewish Home’s vision “to become a regional resource as an integral part of a continuum of care throughout the Bay Area that provides senior adults with a variety of life-enriching programs and services that are accessible; promote individual dignity; encourage independence; connect them to their community; and reflect the social, cultural and spiritual values of Jewish tradition.”