Memory care — and urban living — in Mill City?

Yes, that’s a real possibility, thanks to a new, five-story, luxury senior-living community for ages 55 and older, located about three blocks from the Stone Arch Bridge, the Mill City Farmers Market and the iconic Guthrie Theater.

Built by the Shoreview-based senior housing provider Ecumen, Abiitan Mill City includes 86 independent-living apartments and 48 memory-care suites.

Abiitan — pronounced AH-BEE-TAHN — doesn’t just offer proximity to city attractions, it also encourages residents to take full advantage of downtown’s beloved destinations.

For example, just across the street, is the MacPhail Center for Music, which provides lectures at Abiitan, followed by related concerts in its own Antonello Hall.

Art, theater and history activities include outings to The Guthrie, Hennepin Theatre Trust venues and the Walker Art Center, paired with on-site lectures on timely topics, such as details about the newly updated sculpture garden set to reopen this month at the Walker.

And trips aren’t limited to downtown Minneapolis. One recent outing took residents to the newly renovated Minnesota State Capitol building in St. Paul.

Another thing that’s special about Abiitan is that its major on-site amenities aren’t just for seniors.

Its 2,000-square-foot fitness center (operated by G-Werx Fitness) and two restaurants (Smith & Porter and The Porter Cafe) are open to all.

So, rather than isolating seniors in their own, self-contained world, Abiitan appears to be immersing them in the vibrant heart of the city.

Abiitan Mill City

Where: 428 S. Second St., Minneapolis

Opened: December 2016

Ages: 55 and older

Number of units: 134 units range from studios (540 square feet) to three-bedroom units (2,204 square feet). All apartments include open floor plans and either a private deck or a walk-out patio. Many have skyline or Mississippi River views.

Cost for a single resident: Prices range from $1,900 per month (plus a refundable entrance deposit of $89,500) for a studio to $6,900 per month (plus a refundable entrance deposit of $338,500) for a 3-bedroom, 2½-bath unit.

Entrance deposits are not required for memory care. Memory care costs $6,400 to $6,700 a month and includes medication management/administration, personal care, three meals per day (plus snacks), lifestyle and enrichment programming and other activities.

Skilled nursing services can be added a la carte.

Property owner: Ecumen, based in Shoreview, is one of the largest not-for-profit senior housing/services providers in the country with 93 properties in 37 cities.

Info: Abiitan.org or 651-766-4455; Ecumen.org or 651-766-4300. Read more about Abiitan in the Southwest Journal at tinyurl.com/abiitan-mn.

Amenities 

• High-end wood cabinetry with under-cabinet lighting
• Granite and quartz countertops
• Full-size stainless steel appliances
• Microwaves
• Garbage disposals
• Washers and dryers in each unit
• Wireless Internet and satellite/cable TV
• Individually controlled heat and air-conditioning systems
• 24/7 staff and on-site concierge and security and an emergency-call system
• Business center with private offices and a conference room
• Heated underground parking and storage
• Pet-friendly and smoke free
• On-site fine dining at the Smith & Porter restaurant and bar, which also offers room service, plus The Porter Cafe, an urban bistro with outdoor dining, both operated by Ecumen
• Club room with skyline views
• Occasional happy hours on the building’s Sky Deck, and daily happy hours at Smith & Porter
• On-site film series with screenings and discussions featuring an array of genres and styles from Federico Fellini and Wes Anderson
• On-site fitness center, operated by G-Werx Fitness
• Daily movement/exercise classes
• Weekly mindfulness classes
• Numerous lectures and outings that explore theater, music, art, history, photography and more
• On-site community garden, plus sessions with local gardening experts and balcony-garden design classes.

Do you know of a new or interesting senior housing facility in the Twin Cities that might make a good Housing Spotlight? Write Minnesota Good Age editor Sarah Jackson at [email protected] with the subject line HOUSING SPOTLIGHT.