Olathe retirement community to undergo $11 million expansion

The Plaza at Santa Marta, a continuing care retirement community in Olathe, is launching an $11 million expansion of its health center facilities.

The expansion is in response to growing demand for assisted living, memory support and skilled nursing units in Johnson County, said Chet Surmaczewicz, president and executive director of Santa Marta, 13800 W. 116th St.

“We have been closely monitoring this growing trend for the last few years as our current health center stays full and sometimes even has a waiting list,” Surmaczewicz said. “We’re doing our part by bringing more quality care options to the area for seniors.”

The expansion includes 16 skilled nursing private rooms, 12 memory-support suites, seven assisted-living suites and an expanded physical therapy gym. The project is expected to take 16 months to be completed.

Santa Marta opened in late 2007 on a 45-acre campus across from St. Thomas Aquinas High School. The community is sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

In addition to independent living, the complex provides three levels of care: 32 assisted-living apartments, 16 memory-support suites, and 34 skilled nursing suites.

Residents also have two full-service dining options, heated underground parking, a chapel, library, an arts and crafts studio and a fitness and aquatic center.

Santa Marta said it recently received a five-star rating for quality of care from U.S. News and World Report magazine.

As part of the expansion, Santa Marta also announced the appointment of Jenna Baker as director of health care sales.

This story was originally published March 31, 2015 at 2:00 AM with the headline "Olathe retirement community to undergo $11 million expansion."