Balfour at Palisades: A New Standard in Senior Living 

The Great Room has immediate access to a lushly landscaped outdoor courtyard. NYC design firm Pembrooke & Ives and local developer Trammel Crow collaborated with Balfour on the 138-unit building featuring penthouses, a swimming pool, theatre and no large buy-in fees.

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A successful career as CEO of National Jewish Hospital and government nursing home regulator didn’t come close to preparing Michael Schonbrun for the challenges of relocating his then recently widowed mother Madeline from the family’s NYC apartment to senior living. The lessons learned from that journey is the “origin story” behind the soon-to-be-built Balfour at Palisades.  

“Quality is our standard” says Schonbrun, CEO of Balfour Senior Living, a collection of boutique senior living communities. “My mother’s joie de vivre and life-long appreciation for the finer things in life have inspired us to meet her high standards in creating beautiful communities and a lifestyle that fulfills and delights our residents.”  

Founded 23 years ago, Balfour Senior Living is a Colorado-based company that started small by design and is now expanding its luxury boutique footprint to East Coast markets. It currently has 11 locations — ten in Colorado and one in Michigan and its Washington, D.C. and Brookline, MA communities are expected to deliver in 2023. “We’re not looking to be the biggest,” explains Susan Juroe, the company’s Co-founder, and General Counsel. “Our goal is to be the best and most admired in our category by creating unique environments that enrich the lives of the people who live and work there. We also feel strongly about offering our residents a beautiful and compelling destination where their friends and families can also enjoy Balfour’s amenities and hospitality.”  

The architecture of Balfour at Palisades was informed by local art deco landmarks — the neighborhood’s Glen Echo Amusement Park, MacArthur Theater, and the glamourous residential buildings of that era such as the Kennedy-Warren. Balfour partnered with the local developer Trammell Crow, award-winning architecture firm Perkins Eastman which brought the stylized art deco design to life, and NYC design firm Pembrooke and Ives who brought best-in-class residential design experience and made them ideal collaborators for this project.  

Balfour at Palisades will feature 138 apartment homes with a variety of floor plans, including studios, one- and two-bedrooms, one bedroom with dens and one- and two-bedroom penthouse apartments. Of these, ten units are part of D.C.’s Inclusionary Zoning program and are income restricted. Residents will have the convenience of a range of services centered around their lifestyle and needs from independent living to assisted living, and memory care. The amenities include seasonally inspired culinary offerings at breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week in three dining venues, indoor saltwater pool, sauna, fitness center and yoga studio, hair salon, theatre, a library, bar, housekeeping and home maintenance services, valet parking for residents and their guests, reserved covered parking, rooftop access and a Tesla fleet staffed with Balfour drivers to meet scheduled or spontaneous local transportation needs.  

The Balfour at Palisades community spaces feature exceptional quality architecture, décor and art where future residents can proudly welcome their families and friends.  The bar evokes the mood of some of DCs iconic clubs and restaurants.

Balfour’s model does not have a large “buy-in” fee, instead charging monthly rent plus a la carte levels of care when or if needed. It’s a model that requires Balfour to “earn your trust every day” and allow for flexibility should a relocation or changed life circumstances arise. Additionally, couples can stay together with care brought into their apartment home if needed.  

For Michael Schonbrun and his partner Susan Juroe, a Georgetown resident for 20 years, Balfour represents a personal calling. “We wanted to create places where residents can welcome their friends and families and enjoy wonderful experiences together. The Palisades is designed for ease of living and engagement within and beyond our community. Residents can enjoy all that the Palisades neighborhood offers — only steps away from their front door — and all that the Washington, D.C.  area has to offer.” Another plus: Balfour is pet friendly. Residents can move in with their pets and It’s common for some “pet-less” residents to adopt pets after they’ve settled in. Balfour at Palisades will feature an indoor off-leash pet park and a pet grooming station.  

The “silver tsunami” is nowhere close to cresting according to AARP and other senior advocacy groups. Baby Boomers (sorry, Millennials!) are still making their influence known in all sorts of ways. “To be honest, we designed Balfour for ourselves. And for Madeline, of course!” Michael admits. “We thought seriously of what we would like and need to feel comfortable, what it meant to feel at home and have that pride of place — that’s something we’re always working on.” Susan adds, “We’re also mindful of the challenges people are facing as they age. Loneliness, depression, and lack of physical, mental, and emotional stimulation are real health hazards. At Balfour, we’re creating communities where everyone can feel valued and welcome and are free to discover new interests and friendships.”  

Local architects Perkins Eastman took inspiration from the art deco buildings in the Palisades as well as the grand historic residential buildings in Washington, DC to create a design compatible with the neighborhood. Balfour at Palisades is set to open in 2023.

Balfour at Palisades will be located at 4865 MacArthur Blvd NW, D.C. 20007 and is expected to open in 2023. The leasing center address is 4418 MacArthur Blvd., NW. For more details or to schedule a meeting at their leasing center contact Eileen Alexander, Executive Director, ealexander@balfourcare.com, 202.845.4856 or Cynthia McKee, Preleasing Director, cmckee@balfourcare.com, 202.941.4617. For more information about Balfour Senior Living, visit balfourcare.com or call 844.354.8877.   

tagsBalfour Senior LivingMichael SchonbrunNational Jewish HospitalPembrooke and IvesPerkins EastmanSusan JuroeTrammel Crow