There is a great sense of camaraderie and volunteerism among residents at John Knox Village, the Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Pompano Beach. Many of the 900 residents have enjoyed long and fulfilling careers in a variety of endeavors.
Experiences in business, education, medicine, law, accounting and other professions allow these residents the opportunity to continue active involvement in a variety of volunteer opportunities available at John Knox Village.
With the design and construction underway of The Woodlands at John Knox Village, interested residents voluntarily offer their experienced ideas for Florida’s first Health Center built and operated using Green House core values and practices.
When opened in April of 2016, The Woodlands at John Knox Village will provide a new level of person-centered care that gives seniors meaningful life in a loving home environment with an empowered staff dedicated to protecting, sustaining and nurturing them.
The Woodlands at John Knox Village will embrace THE GREEN HOUSE® concept of having 12 small homes in which care is provided. Each home features 12 private bedrooms and bathrooms for 12 seniors surrounded by a cozy hearth/living room with fireplace, dining area and an open kitchen.
One John Knox Village resident who brings a wealth of experience and innovation to The Woodlands is Harold Young AIA, ASID, a 32-year professor of architectural design from the University of Illinois (U of I).
During his tenure, Harold developed a graduate course in interior architecture. He was greatly influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright’s residential concepts, where Wright packaged the house, interior and the furniture. Harold also had a very active architectural practice in the Champaign, Illinois area while teaching.
After “retiring” from U of I, Harold moved to Dallas and became the Director of Design for the Club Corporation of America, which is the largest owner/operator of country clubs and dining clubs in the world.
“I designed 65 clubs in the 15 years I was at Club Corporation,” Harold said. “These were mostly dining clubs for executives to entertain their clients. They were always on the top floor of new buildings.”
Among his designs are the Columbia Tower Club in Seattle, the Atrium Club (at the Westin New York) and Equitable Fitness Club in New York, and numerous others in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
Harold has traveled extensively throughout the world and gained a great appreciation for art and architecture. Over the years he won many awards for his architectural designs including a PLYM traveling scholarship, which made it possible for him to study architectural monuments, both historical and contemporary around the world.
He also won the ASID National Award for his renovation of the St. John’s Chapel on the campus of the University of Illinois, and another ASIC National Award for the renovation of the Stock Exchange Club in San Francisco.
After nearly 50 years of academic and professional work, Harold finally settled down to full retirement. He relocated to Fort Lauderdale in 1999 and enjoyed the lifestyle of this vibrant area. In November of 2013, Harold decided it was time to move to a CCRC, and John Knox Village was his choice.
“When I moved to John Knox Village I did not expect to work,” the Heritage Tower apartment resident said. “But when I saw The Woodlands building was under construction, I looked at the resident volunteer committees and said, ‘I would really like to get involved.’”
Harold volunteered (naturally) for the architectural design committee and said, “Getting involved in the design fit my background perfectly.”
“At the Club Corporation we had a philosophy,” he said. “Every club should be an extension of people’s homes. We had a process to find out what people liked, so the residential aspect of The Woodlands turned me on.”
Harold’s brother spent 10 years in a nursing home after a stroke, so his personal experiences also motivated his participation in The Woodlands at John Knox Village. “This is such a whole wonderful new concept. I wanted to be a part of it, and I want it to be the best.”
He is a leader on the design committee, which is responsible for interior furnishings, appointments and art that will enhance the livability of each home and the aesthetics of common areas. Harold is currently working with the interior designers, local galleries and Village artists to source the art that will decorate The Woodlands at John Knox Village.
During the recent 18th Annual John Knox Village Art Gallery exhibition (showcasing resident and employee creativity), Harold was sourcing interior art for The Woodlands at John Knox Village.
“I was scouting specifically to get a representation of what the Village artists do,” he said. “To date we have 68 pieces that will be in the collection of The Woodlands. We will have a total of 250 to 300 art pieces.”
Primarily seeking resident art and photography, Harold’s concept is to feature Florida flora and fauna.
“We are looking to showcase the nature of John Knox Village – the wildlife, flowers, waterfowl and trees. My goal is to have inspiring art, the residents can relate to,” he said. “I want to make them happy, give them interest and just help with their lifestyle. Art is an important part of everyone’s life.”
Mark Rayner, Director of Health Facilities, said that volunteerism is an important part of John Knox Village, where residents contribute a vital role in the Community.
“It is exciting it is to work at John Knox Village where our residents are part of our secret ingredient,” Mark said. “So many of them share their many years of work and life experience in the form of volunteering to help us to be a great community.”
“Harold’s expertise in design and decorating is instrumental in how The Woodlands will be an extraordinary home in which our elders will live,” Mark said. “In addition to our twice monthly meetings, he has donated countless hours on the architectural design committee. Not only has he helped us select spectacular artwork and furnishings, he identified a way to redesign our Bistro Café, which added an additional capacity of 16 seats. I am grateful to have him on our team.”
If you are interested in more information about The Woodlands at John Knox Village, and The Green House model of care, please contact the John Knox Village Marketing Department at (954) 783-4040, or visit the Website (www.woodlandsjkv.com).
John Knox Village resident and retired architect Harold Young, AIA, ASID, scouts the 18th Annual Art Gallery Show for paintings and photos to integrate into the interior design at The Woodlands at John Knox Village.
Renderings of the kitchen/dining (top) and hearth/living rooms (below) showcase what space will be available for spontaneous activities and dining experiences within each Green House home at The Woodlands at John Knox Village.
