LATVIA’S FIRST „RETIREMENT VILLAGE” IS COMING
“Retirement Village Latvia” (RV.lv) is an aged care development project
which, when complete, will accommodate 800 residents over the age of 55 years
and provide employment for 900 people in a gated retirement community.
RV.lv’s
long term goal is to be perceived as
the primary provider of quality aged care services in the Baltics.
The concept originates from similar projects in
Australia, but modified to suit Latvian conditions. Its financial success will
be based on a “multi function / multi payer” principle with a critical mass to
sustain operations.
The project
was started in 2006 but suspended in 2008 because of the world financial crisis
when it became clear that financing through normal channels would not be
available. Conditions are now appropriate for implementation.
A one year development period has been
anticipated which will include negotiations with strategic partners and
investors, finalization of the development plan, land acquisition, addressing legal issues, concept
designs and marketing. The construction project is expected to be completed in 3 years.
RV.lv will
develop strategic partnerships with
Ex-Pat Latvian organizations and other business organizations and operators who
are in the aged care business.
It is
important to emphasize that the clientele
is expected to be those over 55 years of age who perhaps
are in perfectly good health when they move into RV.lv, but as time goes on,
can use the services offered by in the village, whether these services be
medical, cultural or social.
The project’s economic viability is based on a “multi user /
multi payer” concept which calls
for each function, service or building be financed by several different clients
or parties to decrease risk associated with uncertain payments or changing
purchasing patterns and provide various sources of
income for the community.
A critical mass which will ensure the project’s financial viability has been
selected recognizing that small projects simply can’t pay for themselves.
The project includes 3 senior citizens apartment buildings, a
nursing home, a hotel, a medical centre/office building, private homes and a
social centre including a community centre, stores, chapel, meeting rooms, etc.
The territory will have parks, recreational facilities and parking.
The Medical
Centre will attract medical professionals who wish to be close to clients with
reasonable disposable incomes, but who also want to work out of reasonably
priced medical facilities with parking spaces relatively close to the major population
centers. The Medical Centre will also provide normally needed and close-by
emergency services including family doctors, dentists, eye centre, etc. It is
expected that the Medical Centre will offer rehabilitation services and
specialized operations. Medical professionals in this community would be
encouraged to be involved in medical tourism, that is, offering medical
services to foreigners.
The Hotel will serve a multi-functional purpose, these including facilities for
visiting friends and relatives of residents and/or those who are recuperating
from operations at the Medical Centre, besides providing normal hotel functions
for local use.
There are
no private facilities in Latvia for pensioners and/or senior citizens in
organized communities providing the services that RV.lv will provide. This will make RV.lv unique. There are some private nursing homes in Latvia,
but these are generally expensive. Their small size demands a
well-to-do clientele that can afford such services. Most age care centers are owned and
operated by the state or municipal authorities and are part of the social
services ministry (federally) or departments (municipally). These are usually
for patients needing constant supervision and attention. The quality of care
is “questionable” (by reputation) and they are sometimes referred to as “poor houses”. As a result, there
is an acute need for affordable private retirement homes.
Ed Kalvins,
the owner of Technical Partners Int’l Inc.
(Canada) / “TP Riga” SIA (Latvia) heads a development group
from Canada, the UK and Australia which consists of aged care, health care,
project, business management and project design specialists. Ed is based in
Latvia with extensive project management experience from Canada, and 20 years
experience in Latvia. His local team provides local know-how and familiarity
with regulations and procedures, while expertise is
acquired mainly from abroad.
Architect
- SIA „NAMS” (http://www.nams.arch.lv/lv_bez.html) - Serge Nikiforovs is the main project
architect with responsibility for all technical design considerations and
approvals. He is a Professional Architect and owner of the Architects Office
Nams. He has been selected to be the Chief Architect for RV.lv and to provide
architectural design, territorial planning and project management expertise.
The location of the project is not site
specific, and may be located anywhere that meets the requirements of the
project.
The
developers have identified several possible sites and municipalities which are
currently under consideration including Mâlpils and Cçsis. A
final decision will have to wait for the opinions of strategic partners and
investors.
The town of
Malpils has been tentatively selected because of its existing
infrastructure and location close to Riga. Malpils existing infrastructure
(stores, sports hall, cultural centre) will be available to residents of RV.lv
in the early stages of the construction project.
· The town of Malpils already has
an established infrastructure and facilities.
· There is municipal and federal
support.
· Cheaper heat could be available
from the local heat supply authority in conjunction with an energy from waste
facility planned nearby.
· Available work force to support
the facility.
For more information, please contact Ed Kalvins
at ed.kalvins@tpriga.lv.
June, 2014