Senior Living Facility Receives an Invigorating Upgrade
By: Bethany Myers
Senior living homes offer a range of services and amenities such as meals, housekeeping, transportation, and activities to help maintain an active and engaged lifestyle, not to mention social opportunities and companionship, which can be especially important for seniors who live alone or have limited social support. However, after studying existing senior living facilities in the coastal town of Newport Beach, Nexus Companies executives Curt Olson, CEO, and Cory Alder, President, discovered an alarming fact. Many of the existing senior living facilities in Newport Beach and the surrounding areas were quite old and outdated with generally high costs and poor care that were not commensurate with the end customer. This obvious gap in quality communities and care prompted them to come up with a solution, which has now become actualized through their exceptional award-winning brand of assisted living and memory care communities called Vivante, created with the goal of providing seniors with the most luxurious retirement living experience possible.
The Story of Vivante:
Originally, Nexus Companies owned a piece of property on the westside of Costa Mesa and considered building affordable condos to resolve the difficult feat of owning a high priced home in the area. But the great recession hit the world very hard that same year. Forced to pivot, Nexus refocused their vision, and suddenly the proximity of the site to renowned Hoag Hospital quickly came into view.
Of course with every great venture, hitting snags and setbacks along the way is inevitable. “It was very difficult to get financed because a senior facility is an operating business, not a real estate business. You have to account for extensive culinary programs, activities, housekeeping, maintenance, health care, and more - it’s a very detailed and complicated process,” says Cory Alder, President of Nexus Companies.
Nonetheless, the two entrepreneurs forged ahead and eventually secured funding, which initiated the start of building what they now call Vivante. Instead of just another assisted living community, Nexus made it their mission to pioneer an unforgettable experience for older generations. “We wanted to include state of the art fitness facilities, restaurant quality food with healthy options, and a vibrant fitness and health program, emulating the country clubs or high end hotel atmosphere the seniors of the community have enjoyed and are accustomed to,” says Cory.
Now, 10 years later, Vivante is leading the way in luxury senior housing and has recently celebrated the opening of their second location, which opened in Newport Center/Fashion Island this past Thanksgiving.
“Our seniors built our local community. So we make it our sole priority to create an environment to honor them and provide them with a safe and inviting place to call home that they can be proud to live in.” says Cory.
Another unique aspect of Vivante is their joint venture with Hoag Hospital. Each community has a doctor’s office for in-home visits, The Vivante Hoag Wellness Center, which provides occupational therapy and physical therapy for the residents’ use in the community instead of the typical hassle of going off-site for this kind of care. Vivante also has state of the art fitness and pool facilities for continued fitness programs so residents can have access for Hoag-prescribed rehab programs and can continue their fitness and wellness programs in the community.
Company Motto:
It takes our residents, families and employees to make the community vibrant, rewarding and meaningful. This concept is outlined in our brand logo with 3 rings interlocked, to show the importance of these three entities working together synergistically to create the community our seniors so deserve.
What’s Unique about Vivante:
While most assisted living communities are owned by large public corporations, Vivante sets itself apart by operating as a locally owned and operated establishment, with ownership held by members of the community. Vivante takes pride in their commitment to providing personalized care to their senior residents, who often face increased instability as they age. Contributing to the well-being of the seniors in Orange County is a deeply rewarding experience that holds significant meaning. With additional ties to Dallas, Texas, Nexus Companies has recently purchased a piece of land in Turtle Creek, with a similar demographic as Newport Beach and received planning commission approval to start building Vivante Turtle Creek in early 2024. Nexus is thrilled to expand the same care on the California coast to the metropolis of Texas.
Philosophy of the business:
Cory assures that “it's all about taking care of the seniors in our communities. From the property itself, to the amenities and wellness programs, we take our seniors’ physical, nutritional, and cognitive fitness very seriously, along with fostering their psychological and spiritual wellness. We've partnered with Long Beach State to provide a series of 8 week Vivante Vitality Programs, and, after looking at the statistics, participants generally make vast strides and significant improvements in mood, overcoming depression, and developing greater core strength, which is imperative to prevent falls.”
Noteworthy Partners:
It’s important to pay homage to the people who make Vivante what it is today. Curt Olson is Nexus’ CEO and the visionary behind Vivante, involved with the overall design and the resident lifestyle experience. He's the financial engine that allowed Vivante to get started. Another important figure is Rob Eres, the VP of Development for Nexus. He, along with Cory, heads up the design, entitlement process, and construction process of building the community. The Nexus Construction team is responsible for the actual construction of the project. In addition, Matt Kaufman is the CFO and EVP of Nexus, and handles the majority of the financing requirements. And finally, Ryan Vogt-Lowell is the VP and General Counsel who heads up all legal affairs.
Personal Life:
Curt went to Corona del Mar high school and USC. He started his first business in Westside Costa Mesa making sails in the quonset huts off 17th Street. He has lived in Orange County since 1967 and currently has homes in Newport Beach and in Dallas. His mother lived at Vivante Newport Mesa, and his dad resides at Vivante Newport Center. When he’s not working, Curt loves traveling to Cabo San Lucas, paddle boarding, kiteboarding, playing a round of golf at Big Canyon Country Club and enjoys boating as a member of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club.
Cory also attended Corona del Mar High School, then went on to study at Orange Coast College, and eventually USC. He began a career in real estate, working as a broker for the Koll Company. The senior management team of Nexus has been together since the early 2000’s and has tackled many successful projects together such as low rise and high rise residential builds, commercial office buildings, eight hotel projects, and now, senior housing. Cory lives in Newport Beach with his wife of 35 years and has three children. Cory’s wife, Lisa, happily volunteers at Vivante, offering water aerobics classes to residents.
The Nexus team members are all very similar. We enjoy helping people and most importantly, creating solutions so that they can help themselves. In the case of Vivante, we give them tools and empower our residents and their families and provide them a way to live a more fulfilled life.” says Cory.
Giving Back:
Cory is the Board Chair for a charity in Santa Ana called KidWorks and has been aiding the organization for about 15 years total. The organization has been open for 30 years helping underprivileged children gain access to a better life.
Vivante Newport Center
850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 368-3000
