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Gay and Lesbian Retirement Community Now Under Construction in Sonoma Wine Country

Construction has begun on Fountaingrove Lodge, the nation’s first five-star continuing care retirement community for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people. The 10-acre site is in Sonoma County, Calif., north of San Francisco.

“Fountaingrove Lodge is a dream that has been several years in the making and reflects our desire to provide fine retirement living opportunities for a broad range of seniors,” says Bill Gallaher, founder and principal of Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Oakmont Senior Living. He and his wife Cindy developed the concept.

“We are excited because where other LGBT retirement projects have stalled or failed, Fountaingrove is a reality,” he added. “Of the more than 30 retirement communities we’ve developed, this latest project will fill a void that has existed for far too long, and we are proud to lead the way on this front.”

Entrance fees range from $295,500 to $925,500 and are up to 100% refundable. The monthly fees start at $2,395, and are all-inclusive, according to Molly Gallaher, vice president of marketing for Oakmont Senior Living.

Fountaingrove Lodge will include six bungalows and 64 apartment homes in nine different floor plans, ranging from 830 sq. ft. to 2,001 sq. ft. The development will be designed in the Craftsman style of architecture, with the use of fine woodwork and stone inside and out that echo the native rocks and trees on the site.

Each bungalow will have its own patio or deck, while each apartment home will have a private patio or balcony. Fountaingrove’s design center will allow residents to customize their home with a selection of finish materials.

“Our goal is to provide a beautiful, secure, social, and dynamic community for LGBT seniors with the dignity and respect they deserve. We feel Fountaingrove Lodge complements those sensibilities,” says Cindy Gallaher, Oakmont Senior Living co-founder and principal.

“We anticipate that this project will become the hub for the broader North Bay LGBT community, and reflect the interests and passions of our residents.”

The property will include wireless service in the main common areas, a library, business center, bank, salon and day spa, great hall for special events, pet park, and bocce court.

Residents can join friends for a glass of wine in the lounge, grab a snack in the bistro, or dine in the formal dining room. They can also throw a private party in the Wine Cave, rustle up a game of cards, watch a favorite film in the high-definition theater, or get creative in the art studio.

Fountaingrove Lodge is next door to the championship Fountaingrove Golf Course and will feature an on-site fitness center. Gourmet meals, weekly housekeeping, concierge services, and home and yard maintenance also will be available.

Health-care services will be made available in the home, paid for on a fee-for-service basis, and include state-of-the-art emergency call and response systems. In addition, there will be an onsite care center that will provide memory care for residents with Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

Options such as temporary home health care, follow-up care during recuperation from short-term illness or injury, and full-time private care are available.

As part of a campaign to promote Fountaingrove Lodge, Oakmont Senior Living in April hosted special luncheon presentations in Seattle, Sacramento and San Francisco.

A fourth luncheon is scheduled to take place Tuesday, May 3 at the Lodge at Torrey Pines in San Diego. At these events, attendees receive a three-course meal and get a chance to ask questions and learn more about the community.

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