Lundgren previously lived here when it was on the Ohio Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphans Home campus.
“He grew up there as a child and now he’s returning to the campus from Mansfield to live out his final years,” Todd Hutchins, director of public relations for Columbus-based National Church Residences, said.
Lundgren and five siblings were raised on the campus after their parents divorced. He returns every year for the Home Reunion on July 4.
The campus dates back to 1869, when the orphans home was established to serve children who had lost their father in the Civil War.
In 1978, the home’s name was changed to the Ohio Veterans’ Children’s Home. The last graduating class received their high school diplomas in 1996.
In 2009, the Legacy Village Retirement Center was built on the 253-acre campus.
National Church Residences assumed ownership of the senior community at 695 Wycliffe Drive in January 2011.
National Church Residences spent $4.5 million on 15 new patio homes and $13.2 million on the 51 apartments in the 253-acre campus.
“We have invested nearly $18 million into the expansion of this campus to better serve seniors who desire to still live independently, without the associated burden and stress of maintaining a household,” Hutchins added.
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The Legacy Village retirement community includes one- and two-bedroom independent living apartments, 55 single-floor patio homes, 15 newly constructed - as well as a healthcare center with 52 apartments for assisted-living and memory-care residents on the 48-acre campus in Xenia, according to National Church Residences.
Residences get a “smart tablet” to schedule work orders, communicate with campus staff and seek help in emergencies or keep in contact with family and friends.
“As our lives have moved more and more online during this pandemic, many people in the older generation are struggling to keep in contact with family and friends because of their struggle with technology or the lack of available Wi-Fi services,” Hutchins said.
To make room for the new construction, some aging buildings were demolished south and west of Luther Drive, which once provided staff housing for the veterans’ children’s home.
“At National Church Residences, our vision is to advance better living for all seniors, enabling them to remain home for life,” Matt Rule, senior vice president of development and construction, said in a press release. “Those who tour the Legacy Village campus will see firsthand what this beautiful and historic community has to offer seniors who want a fulfilling, healthy lifestyle.”
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