Exactly two years after an implosion reduced the former Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital tower to rubble, Canterbury Woods Gates Circle celebrated its grand opening in Buffalo Tuesday morning. Episcopal Church Home & Affiliates and Canterbury Woods President and CEO Rob Wallace welcomed the first residents. Wallace said it's the only urban life care community in New York state.
"As a life care community, we're an insurance product. People don't own or rent anything from us. They're really buying an insurance product and then buying piece of mind. So with that insurance product they come in, they live independently. But it also guarantees them coverage through the continuum of care. So if they need assisted living, or rehab, or skilled nursing, we have that all under one umbrella, which is Canterbury Woods," Wallace said.
The six-story building includes 53 apartments and five assisted living units. The $43 million project created 25 new jobs and is expected to have an annual economic impact of $11 million.
