Touchmark on South Hill, the big retirement complex owned and operated by Touchmark Living Centers Inc., of Beaverton, Ore., is putting the final touches on a $7.7 million renovation that has included extensive interior and exterior improvements.

Also, it says it made official last week its name change to Touchmark from Waterford on South Hill, the name under which it has been operating since it opened in 1991 at the southeast corner of 29th Avenue and Pittsburg Street.

The complex includes a more than 300,000-square-foot main building that has independent and assisted-living units, as well as skilled-nursing rooms, and a total of 60 nearby cottages. It also has a group of 10 cottages in another development, Touchmark at Grapetree, north of Pinecrest Road, about two blocks north of 29th Avenue.

The main campus is home to about 300 residents, and Touchmark employs about 240 people there in a mix of full-and part-time positions, says Jeffrey P. Bair, the facility's executive director. The facility held an open house last week and sponsored a variety of activities open to the public to celebrate its 20th anniversary in conjunction with Active Aging Week, an annual health-promotion observance of the International Council on Active Aging.

Lydig Construction Inc., of Spokane, has been the general contractor on the remodel project, which got under way more than a year and a half ago.

The work has included construction of a new front-entrance gate and a large new porte cochere, along with new paving, siding, roofing, and color schemes. Also outside, a new oblong front entryway circle has been added, bordered by a walking path with benches and sitting areas, and, on the south side of the complex, a new outdoor patio has been added.

New flooring, paint colors, and finishes have been added inside the main building, and all of the facility's public spaces, including its large main dining room, have been modernized. New features include an expanded and updated main-floor coffee shop, where Bair says many residents like to socialize, and a second-floor sports bar, where he says he likes to play the role of server on Friday nights.

The skilled nursing and rehabilitation areas of the complex also are getting a major facelift, including replacement of all 57 beds, plus over-bed tables, bedside dressers, chairs, wardrobes, and TVs. That work is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving, Bair says.

Installation of a new fire alarm system and closed-circuit security system also are expected to be completed shortly.

The renovation is the largest undertaken there since the retirement complex opened, and Bair says he believes it has given the facility a more homey feel, while also adding some things that enhance residents' daily lives.

"We really believe you need to continue to update so when new residents come in, it's consistent with their expectations," he says.

Touchmark Living Centers announced the planned name change earlier this year. The company named its first six retirement complexes Waterford and has supported two brand names—Waterford and Touchmark—for a long time. The company said, however, that it doesn't consider the Waterford name to be as unique as it once was. As the company turned 30, it said its senior management team, with input and support from Waterford executive directors, decided to drop the Waterford name and place all of its properties and affiliates under the Touchmark brand.