Little Flower Haven

Little Flower Haven sits on a 4.1-acre property in La Mesa and is undergoing redevelopment with support from the city council, and the project is set to finish by the end of 2019 or early 2020, keeping much of the original Mission-style architecture from 1939, including the bell tower and stained glass windows, to honor its nearly 100-year history as a former convent and senior retirement community that used to be run by the Carmelite Sisters, and now the new plan calls for six three-story residential buildings and 130 apartments with studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom options, including 68 one-bedroom/one-bath units, 55 two-bedroom/two-bath units, and seven studios, most averaging about 777 square feet. Little Flower Haven plans to offer both independent and assisted living services for up to 85 residents, with a focus on personalized care in a home-like setting, including memory care, respite and hospice care, and support for aging in place, plus staff-like nurses, therapists, and aides-stay on-site 24 hours a day, ready for needs that include medication support, bathing, dressing, and more, and residents can get help with laundry, cleaning, and transportation for shopping and medical visits. On the grounds, one finds a chapel with daily Catholic Mass, gardens with walking paths, outdoor and indoor common areas, recreation rooms, and a large auditorium, along with a pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, exercise rooms, Bocce Ball court, fire pit, pet park, and places set up for BBQ and gatherings, and the new recreation room includes a kitchen and overlooks decks by the pool, while the garden areas, fire pit, and walking ramps give folks a safe place to enjoy the outdoors. Apartments come with energy-efficient appliances like refrigerator with ice maker, dishwasher, microwave, range, as well as in-unit washer and dryer, heating and air conditioning, modern finishes including quartz countertops and wood-look flooring, plus private patios or balconies and walk-in closets in some units, with select apartments having island kitchens. Residents get three daily home-cooked meals with healthy snacks, including special diets when needed, have access to on-site and off-site devotional services, as well as social activities, movie nights, arts and crafts, music plans, animal therapy, tabletop games, creative programs, and outings, and there are nightly community events along with guest and family programs. Language support is available in Spanish, and the community stays pet-friendly with a dog park and plenty of landscaped grounds, while housekeeping, scheduled transportation, and in-room cable TV come standard, and residents can also use the library, full-service beauty and barber shop, and health and fitness facilities. Safety is a priority with alert staff and emergency maintenance available at all times, all within a smoke-free setup that meets city parking codes by providing 193 total spaces, even though the project saw local public hearings due to the parking swap for fewer spaces than the usual rule. The location puts residents close to Downtown La Mesa and a short drive to SDSU, and plans call for at least 10 percent of the units to be affordable for 55 years, and the entire project meets California Department of Social Services requirements, offering a range of care for light and moderate needs, including diabetic and incontinence care for those who manage it independently, as well as transportation to faith-based programs, and the large, historic front structure and church bell tower will stay as landmarks for this California Register-eligible site. The community asks a one-time fee of $800 with monthly pricing by room type and offers both private and shared rooms, flexible for different needs, with personalized care plans for everyone, and while Little Flower Haven continues as a multifamily community, its attention to seniors' comfort, well-being, and history holds strong through this big change.