Balfour Palisades: More Than a Place for Mom
By • May 10, 2023 0 1985
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When one learns of Balfour Palisades, they’re struck by its forward thinking about aging in place, its commitment to excellence on many levels — and its love of family.
The business of Balfour was begun by Michael Schonbrun, CEO of Balfour Senior Living, who has established a line of boutique senior living communities designed with his mother, Madeline, in mind. Madeline demanded the best for her golden years.
“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,” says Schonbrun, a former hospital top executive.
Balfour’s Susan Juroe and Michael Shonbrun. Georgetowner photo.
Call it the “Madeline effect.” After all, mother was used to Park Avenue living. The company name comes from a New York summer camp Schonbrun’s father attended. Balfour itself is Scottish Gaelic for “the village by the pasture.” That’s appropriate for the luxe retirement building now rising on leafy MacArthur Boulevard amid the friendly, tranquil neighborhood and outdoorsy activities.
Balfour sees itself as a combination of home, country club and hotel. “It will be a fun place to visit,” says Schonbrun, who isn’t doing this all alone.
Balfour’s expansive Spa and Fitness Club is state-of-the-art in both equipment and design. It features a stunning saltwater lap pool and a fitness area equipped with Pelotons, also a yoga studio, private treatment rooms, men’s and women’s locker rooms and a beauty salon.
The company’s co-founder and general counsel Susan Juroe, Schonbrun’s wife, has been a Georgetown resident for more than 20 years. She likewise adds to the company’s design expertise but also works the numbers of the business. The two met in 1999 at a restaurant on K Street downtown during a housing conference they both were attending.
Founded 25 years ago, Balfour has entered the East Coast market in two places. Soon, Washington, D.C., and Brookline, Massachusetts, will join the Colorado-based company, which currently has 10 locations — nine in Colorado and one in Michigan.
Since its inception, Balfour has been a pioneer in providing quality Alzheimer’s care. Schonbrun has served as Chairman of the Colorado Alzheimer’s Association.
“We’re not looking to be the biggest,” Juroe says. “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.”
Balfour Palisades is currently preleasing for a wide selection of floor plans, including studios, one- and two-bedroom units, one-bedrooms with dens and one- and two-bedroom penthouse apartments. Of the 138 units, ten are income-restricted as part of D.C.’s Inclusionary Zoning Program, which requires most new residential developments include some affordable housing.
Balfour’s concierge arrival entrance will be a hub of activity. Concierge services are available to residents 24/7 and Balfour valet associates will manage all resident and guest parking in the underground garage.
Residents will have the convenience of a range of services tailored to their lifestyle and needs from independent living to assisted living and memory care. The amenities include culinary meals in three dining venues, indoor saltwater pool, sauna, fitness center and yoga studio, hair salon, theater, a library, bar, housekeeping and home maintenance services, valet parking for residents and their guests, reserved covered parking and chauffeur service. Balfour Palisades is located immediately adjacent to the Palisades Farmers Market, a local institution that will be a weekly stop for residences looking to stock their full kitchens. “Not only do we want to work with the neighborhood, we want to belong here,” Schonbrun says.
In terms of architecture, Balfour Palisades looks to the local vernacular, respecting “the genius of place” in architect-speak — and reflecting the art deco designs of the nearby former MacArthur Theater and Glen Echo Park up the boulevard. The company partnered with top-drawer creatives for this project — developer Trammell Crow, architecture firm Perkins Eastman and New York design firm Pembrooke and Ives for the residences.
Unique life-enrichment activities are a staple of the Balfour Way and a major reason why the company has enjoyed a quarter-century of success through changing times. Residents can enjoy book clubs, wine tastings, political discussions, painting and guest speakers. Having Memory Care in the building along with assisted living allows couples to live under the same roof.
It is the residents who will make Balfour Palisades unique, Schonbrun says. “Ours is a discerning clientele, who are still working — and still leaders,” says Schonbrun, well aware of the approaching demographic silver tsunami.
Together, Schonbrun and Juroe know they are ahead of the curve and say they are “on a mission.” And together, when all is said and done, this elegant couple is the best advertisement for choosing Balfour. One can see why it’s easy to join this family.
Balfour Palisades is expected to open in 2024. The leasing center is located at 4418 MacArthur Blvd., NW. For more details or to schedule a meeting at the leasing center, contact the leasing team at (202) 935-5250 or palisadesleasingteam@balfourcare.com.
