For the first time in nearly 2 years, an excited crowd gathered at The Beeches on Wednesday, November 17, to celebrate and support this important community asset. Nascentia Health purchased the 52-acre property at 7900 Turin Rd, Rome, in April of 2021, and welcomed a gathering of nearly 150 local dignitaries and community members to kick off our plans for restoring and expanding the property. Attendees included Rome Mayor Jacqueline Izzo, State Senator Joseph Griffo, Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, and recently retired State Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn Destito. Nascentia CEO and President Kate Rolf discussed how the project would benefit the whole community. “We are so proud to be here at The Beeches again, talking about our vision for its future. The new Nascentia Neighborhood at The Beeches will have independent and supportive housing options that allow aging adults to remain independent in beautiful, safe homes that connect them to medical professionals and social services, all right here on campus. We’ve seen such incredible support and enthusiasm from the Rome community and can’t wait to get started on this exciting project.”
The event was co-hosted by Dr. Joel and Mrs. Holly Amidon and Dr. Jeff Amidon and Elena Green. Dr Joel Amidon, Nascentia Health’s chief medical officer, commented that “The opportunity to have a planned community where older adults can access all of their housing, health, social, and other services is a huge step forward in meeting the needs of older adults in Oneida County.”
The property was owned by the Destito family for more than 70 years and brothers Orrie and Frank attended the event to celebrate the transition of The Beeches. Kate Rolf announced that the updated commercial kitchen will be named “The Destito Kitchen” to honor the family’s long history of hospitality and food service. Outside of The Beeches, the family’s Savoy Restaurant has been open in Rome since 1908 and is a community institution.
Nascentia Neighborhood at The Beeches is a multi-phase project that is kicking off this year with renovations to the event and conference center, with the goal of hosting events again in 2023. The locally significant 1917 stone mansion house, which is attached to the events center, will also be restored, preserving its hand-crafted historic details. In the next phases, the Inn at the Beeches will be converted into age-restricted apartments for those 62 and over, as well as the addition of duplex units and independent cottage-style homes will be constructed on the property to create a mix of housing types. The existing business park will continue operating with its long-established tenants throughout the project.
Wednesday’s event included options for the community to invest in naming opportunities for portions of the property, including rooms in the mansion and conference center, three historic stone cottages, and exterior features. Additional sponsorships are still available and interested people can email Jenna Rolf at jenrolf@477home.org to inquire about opportunities. Follow “Nascentia Neighborhood at The Beeches” on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin to see ongoing updates about the project and visit nascentiahealth.org/the-beeches to see information and graphics.