Ebenezer Breaks Ground on Estoria Cooperatives 

Posted on September 20, 2024 by LeadingAge Minnesota

Ebenezer officially broke ground on Estoria Lakeville, a new senior cooperative in Lakeville on Wednesday, Sept. 4th, with more than 140 people in attendance, including city officials, the Lakeville Chamber of Commerce, development partners and future residents.

Located next to The Fountains at Hosanna (an Ebenezer property), Estoria Lakeville is the first cooperative community that Ebenezer is developing. Ebenezer will also manage the cooperative, which opens in late 2025.

Designed to feature 89 member-owned homes offering a variety of different floor plans, Estoria is the brainchild of the development team of Ebenezer, Frana Companies, and RSP Architects. Construction is expected to take 14-16 months, with more than 60 % of the homes already sold. 

Excitement from Future Residents

Anticipation is high with future owners who celebrated the start of construction. As the first owner of their unit, Rick and Sue Dale are excited to personalize their home with standard and upgraded quality home finishes. And as Lakeville residents for 35 years, they are glad to be staying in, what they consider, their hometown for their next move. Rick referred to the time leading up to this point as the "preamble” to their next chapter and said “now it all begins! I realized that we were saying the next chapter and the co-op, but now we can say our next chapter and our new co-op.” 

The grand opening ceremony featured guest speakers including Lakeville Mayor Luke Hellior, who welcomed new residents to the fastest growing city in the country. “Whether you are moving from across the street or across the state, we are honored that you have chosen Lakeville for your next home.

Emerging Community Model

Cooperative communities, like Estoria, are becoming a more popular choice for seniors. Members own a share or divided interest in the cooperative corporation, which in turn owns the building and land. Members elect a board who makes decisions for the community.

“Ebenezer has been a leader in senior cooperatives since 1978 when they opened 7500 York, the first senior cooperative in the nation, located in Edina,” stated Shona Schmall, Director Sales & Marketing with Estoria Cooperatives. Estoria’s board will also receive support and oversight from Ebenezer’s staff in the Homeowners Association Property Management division.

“We are happy to bring our years of experience to the development table and once again create a cooperative community that is designed around the needs of member-owners,” stated Jeff Lantto, Development Consultant, who also served as the director of Ebenezer’s cooperative housing division for more than 30 years. 

Fostering Community

Ken and Janice Ullery, Estoria Lakeville Cooperative members, are looking forward to the community aspect of the co-op, plus less housework. “We decided it was time to make our own decision, so our kids won’t have to.” Ken also said, “We have already met so many new residents and we’re looking forward to meeting even more!

Retired CEO and President of Ebenezer, Jon Lundberg, said this is an exciting time for his company as well. “Not only are we moving into a new chapter of housing for older adults, but with new leadership there will be ongoing innovation and resources for the aging population.” His successor, Brett Anderson, will also serve as the interim president of the Estoria Board of Directors.

As part of the groundbreaking event, a special maple tree sapling was dedicated to the community. Future residents brought soil from their current homes as a symbol of the cooperative’s nature and future growth. It will be cared for by members during the construction and then planted with all the shared soil during the landscaping phase.