A symbolic ground-breaking for a 10-room expansion project at DevonHouse Senior Living, 1930 Bevin Drive, in the western portion of the township, was held at the facility Sept. 17. Site work for the construction actually began a few weeks ago.

Vickie Snyder, executive director at the senior living facility, said the 10 new rooms would have amenities designed to be competitive in an increasingly wider choice of senior living facility offerings throughout the Commonwealth. "Each bedroom will be a spacious private room which will include a kitchenette for the occupant," Snyder said.

Additionally, the entire facility will be upgraded to include hallway kitchenettes, more skylights and more expansive common room amenities, Snyder said.

Co-owners of the facility, Rick Stephen, of Blue Bell, and Jim Gentile, president of North Star Construction Management Inc., and Polaris Properties Inc., headquartered in Upper Macungie Township, were on hand to describe the amenities to be included in the expansion wing and the upgraded amenities throughout the current facility.

A new courtyard and pergola will be constructed for the facility. Current onsite electric generation equipment will be expanded to provide power for all resident's rooms in the event of a power failure.

North Star will be the construction manager for the project, which Gentile said is expected to be ready for occupancy by the end of the year, "if the weather cooperates with us until the building is under roof."

This is the second expansion of the facility, which will accommodate 95 residents when the new wing is completed.