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The public is invited to attend the open house, which will take place Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m.
“This will be a wonderful opportunity for those who live and work in Greenwich and the surrounding towns to see first-hand the upgrades and renovations at the Witherell, which has long been a treasured local facility and a symbol of our community's spirit and pride,” said David Ormsby, chairman of the Friends of Nathaniel Witherell, Inc.
Support for the Witherell's renovation project came from the Town of Greenwich and Project Renew: The Capital Campaign for the Nathaniel Witherell. Organized by the Friends of the Nathaniel Witherell, it was the facility’s first capital campaign in its 111-year history.
It has resulted in a dramatically improved infrastructure and environment, Ormsby said. The number of private rooms has increased from 26 to 64, eliminating 10 four-bedded rooms, and 86 resident rooms were remodeled and redecorated.
Public space has also been enhanced, including a 4,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Rehabilitation Center and new family reception areas. The three existing elevators were modernized and fourth was added. A new emergency generator was installed, and other facility upgrades were completed.
The architectural and engineering design for Project Renew reflects a sensitivity to Nathaniel Witherell’s historic significance, Ormsby. In August 2010, Witherell's campus was listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Tours of the building will be available during the open house Tuesday.
The State of Connecticut will provide up to $12 million over 20 years of the $27 million construction cost. The Friends of Nathaniel Witherell have helped to raise over $9 million in funds from private citizens and public sources to date including $1 million from the Dalio Foundation.
Thanks to Project Renew, Witherell's new short-term Rehabilitation Center will offer individuals recovering from joint replacement surgery, cardiac events, stroke, or other serious illnesses the latest in physical and occupational therapy − as well as speech and language pathology services. Licensed therapists provide short-term rehab patients with therapy up to seven days a week.
Nathaniel Witherell is a short-term rehab and skilled nursing center located on 24 acres two miles from downtown Greenwich.
The nonprofit is owned and operated by the Town of Greenwich.
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