Building the Future of Memory Care

Project Overview

The Marlin and Doris Thomas Memory Center at Willow Valley Communities is America's first dementia village—reimagining memory care for 140 residents, replacing institutional hallways with real life: cafés, salons, grocery stores, gardens.

Traditional memory care facilities follow a familiar pattern: long hallways, clinical environments, routines built around operational efficiency.

Willow Valley Communities wanted something radically different—a community where residents with dementia could live in familiar meaningful environments that support memory and dignity.

This dementia village model, pioneered in the Netherlands, had never been built in America. There was no existing blueprint to follow and no domestic precedent to reference. CCS partnered with Willow Valley Communities to make it real—working alongside international designers from the Netherlands, healthcare experts, and community stakeholders to translate revolutionary care philosophy into cafés, salons, gardens, and homes for 140 residents.

Why this Project Matters

When Willow Valley Communities wanted to pioneer a new model of dementia care, they turned to CCS Building Group to help bring the vision to life.

Reimagining Memory Care in America

Traditional memory care facilities in America prioritize operational efficiency over residents' dignity—long institutional hallways, clinical environments, routines built around staff schedules. For people living with dementia, these environments accelerate confusion and isolation rather than support connection. The dementia village model, pioneered in the Netherlands, takes a radically different approach: real neighborhoods where residents maintain familiar routines and live with dignity.

Adapting this European model for America meant navigating different building codes, healthcare regulations, and cultural expectations for what memory care "should" look like. Willow Valley Communities believed it was worth the complexity—seeking international design expertise and committing to build what had no American precedent.

Environments That Honor Memory

For residents living with dementia, environment shapes daily experience. Familiar places—a neighborhood café, a garden path, and a salon—help maintain connection to memory and routine.

The Thomas Memory Center creates spaces where 140 residents live with autonomy and dignity, not as visitors to a facility but as members of a community designed around their needs. This project proves American memory care can prioritize dignity without sacrificing safety, and that communities can build differently when they're willing to challenge the standard model.

Exploring the Campus

The Southern Area Neighborhood, Northern’s twin, offers a unique exterior and a courtyard greenhouse.

The Brain Café, serving breakfast, lunch, and drinks that are brain healthy, is open to the public.

The Main Building interior mixes refined and common natural materials.

The Northern Area Neighborhood and courtyard overlook a beautiful two-acre pond.

The Resource Center offers print and electronic educational materials on brain health and disease.

A Partner for Every Phase

From early vision development through final delivery—we bring the same integrated approach to healthcare, education, senior living, and commercial projects across the region.

(01)

Design-Build Partnership

We join early to help assemble the right design team and translate vision into buildable reality—maximizing quality and value from day one.

(02)

Pre-Construction Strategy

We evaluate design feasibility, navigate complex code requirements, and establish realistic timelines and budgets to reduce the risk before breaking ground.

(03)

Construction Management

CCS coordinates every aspect of construction—managing specialty contractors, maintaining schedules, and ensuring quality at every phase.

(04)

Specialized Coordination

We bring the right voices to the table by coordinating with international design partners, healthcare consultants, regulatory specialists, and community stakeholders.

(05)

In-House Skilled Trades

Our self-performed electrical, carpentry, plumbing, and painting give us direct control over quality, schedule, and cost.

(06)

Resident-Focused Services

For senior living and healthcare projects, we provide material selections, design consultations, and turnover management tailored to residents' needs.

In the News

This project's unprecedented approach to dementia care has resonated beyond Lancaster County, drawing attention from healthcare, design, and senior living communities across the country and beyond.

New memory care center at Willow Valley Communities will be among the first of its kind in U.S.

Read Article

The Memory Center at Willow Valley Communities Will Create Moments of Joy

Read Article

Willow Valley Communities Plans Innovative Dementia Care Center

Read Article

Bringing the Right Partners Together

Let's Talk About Your Senior Living Project

Every complex project starts with a conversation. If you're considering something that hasn't been done before, or working with stakeholders who need more than execution, reach out. We'd be glad to explore how we might help.

Schedule A Call