A long-time dream became reality Thursday night as a crowd witnessed the ribbon cutting for Brookdale Place University Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center.
“It’s been 15 years. It’s been a long road and taken a lot of hard work by a lot of people,” Brookdale’s Executive Director Eddie Cummings said.
The ceremony marked the official opening of the 66-bed skilled nursing and rehab center. The center is the final piece of Brookdale’s now 466-unit University Park development located in Homewood. Opened in 1999, University Park also includes independent living, assisted living and memory care services.
“This building is not your typical nursing home,” Brookdale Health Care Administrator Susan Potts said. “We have so many extra features, and it (the building) was so well thought out.”
The health care center encompasses more than 47,000 square feet and took 15 months to construct. It offers speech, physical and occupational therapy alongside long-term skilled nursing care.
“We have long term-care and short term care-units. The average length of stay is 18-21 days (for therapy patients). We get the patients to their base level or better, and then they go back home,” Potts added.
The center is the result of Brookdale relocating the skilled nursing and rehab services from its former location, Hanover Health & Rehab in Birmingham, to the University Park campus. The center will employ 75-80 people when fully occupied.
Brookdale Place University Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center is located at 501 University Park, Birmingham, AL 35209. The phone number is 205-379-7900.
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- Front entrance of Brookdale Place University Park Health Care.
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- Lobby at Brookdale Place University Park Health Care.
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- Dining room at Brookdale Place University Park Health Care.
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- Living room at Brookdale Place University Park Health Care.
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- Library at Brookdale Place University Park Health Care.
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- Whirlpool spa at Brookdale Place University Park Health Care.
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- Patient room at Brookdale Place University Park Health Care.
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- Patient room at Brookdale Place University Park Health Care.
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- Therapy gym at Brookdale Place University Park Health Care.
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- Therapy gym at Brookdale Place University Park Health Care.
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- Courtyard at Brookdale Place University Park Health Care.
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- From left to right: Homewood Mayor Scott McBrayer, Brookdale Executive Director Eddie Cummings, Brookdale Health Care Administrator Susan Potts and Brookdale Physical Plant Director Mark Wood.
