A Short History of THD- Newton's Renovation Completed

The Gated Community of the Heritage Downtown ( Formerly known as Heritage Pointe)

Its official! We will back to Newton's on Sunday, September 8. Thank You THD for the Sound Boards💚. Hopefully this will reduce the noise level in Newton's to a more tolerable level. Looking forward to its installation.    

https://theintellectualmigrants.blogspot.com/2024/07/newtons-restaurant-noise-and-its-health.html

For the last year, I have been talking to a few residents during meal and activity times and communicating with them on my daily blogs about my life here at THD.  One of the items most residents want to know is a brief history of this place.  So, I did talked to the oldest resident here ( 13 years of residency), but I did not get much detailed information except that 13 years ago there were only about 50 residents and not too many activities in the schedule although they have tours and lunch excursions on weekly basis.  The manager at time was not Barbara Simpson and Jenny Shively was not in the THD employee list. They have two drivers and the big bus was used  for tours and excursions.  

I did some Internet search and here's a brief summary of The Heritage Pointe ( former name) for your reading pleasure.        

The Heritage Downtown (THD) is the Bay Area's premier active senior living community. Centrally located in beautiful Downtown Walnut Creek, CA. The Heritage Downtown is nestled in lush green grounds and provides simply the best in 55+ retirement living apartment homes. 

This resort-style independent senior living community was established in 1986 and offers an array of all-inclusive amenities including daily 5-star dining, health and wellness programs, fitness classes, social activities, assisted living care and elegant surroundings.

Originally built as condos, the property become senior shortly thereafter. With the addition of our 5-star restaurant Newton's, no other senior property in the area can compare in quality of dining and living.  

It was awarded the Best Senior Living Award by a Place for Mom for 2023 and 2024. 

Here's a summary of reviews I found in the web the Other Day

This community receives high praise for its friendly and welcoming atmosphere, both from staff and residents. Reviewers frequently highlight the excellent quality of food, the wide variety of activities available, and the cleanliness and maintenance of the facilities. Many appreciate the sense of independence and safety the community provides, along with the opportunity to partake in numerous clubs, trips, and social events. The accommodations, including large, fully equipped apartments and the availability of amenities such as a pool, library, and gym, are also noted positively. Reviewers value the community's location, conducive to walking downtown and enjoying the surrounding area. The inclusion of meals, housekeeping services, and the general ambiance of being part of a caring, active community contribute to the satisfaction expressed by many residents.

However, there are some areas noted for improvement💋. 

💋https://theintellectualmigrants.blogspot.com/2024/02/suggestions-for-improvement-of-quality.html

Multiple reviews mention concerns regarding the management's responsiveness and policies, especially related to assisted living options which appear to be limited or require external support. Some residents find the community's offerings and facilities not as up-to-date as they would prefer, and there are specific references to the meal service variety and the handling of mail or packages during absences. Criticisms also touch on areas like parking availability and the handling of emergency situations ( no generator during power outage), suggesting a need for better communication and preemptive measures.  The rapid turnover of employees in the Activity Department also generated some negatives comments from a number of residents. 

Currently there are 121 residents( counted from the September Phone list) and one Ghost Resident- The Masked Lady of the Fairmont Building ( not in the phone list). This Masked Lady has been rumored to have resided here at THD for more than 5 years but has never used Newton's for her meals. I see her every now and then with her masked and recycle bag. She will answer back if you talk to her, but appeared to be always in a hurry to return to her apartment.  

The community has 147 apartment units in four separate buildings ( The Heritage Tower,  Plaza, Liberty and Fairmont Towers). The 4 buildings border a 2.14 acre lot with beautiful landscaping, swimming pool, jacuzzi, gym. yoga room, library and a Cinema with an underground Garage and an in-house restaurant, The Newton's. The community is pet-friendly. A $5000 non-refundable deposit is required. Monthly Rental for 1 BR unit ranged from $5,500- $ 6,500  and the 2 BR units rent between $7200 to $8000.  These dollar amounts are my estimated guess. For the correct amount call THD. 

 https://theheritagedowntown.com/

I counted that twenty-two  new residents came in during the month of July, August and September. The Newton Restaurant is currently on renovation and maintenance and scheduled to be open with the regular hours for Sunday Brunch Today( see brochure above). 

 One of the complaints from many residents is the 💚noise level at Newton's Restaurant at Dinner Time when the restaurant is full to capacity, other wise with the exception from one or two residents, Newtons Food and Services is 5 Star. The servers are very friendly and do their jobs very well as well as the Kitchen Crew.       

Despite these points, the consistent praise for the community's environment, staff, and resident engagement indicates a highly positive living experience for most.

Personally, I am happy to recommend THD for its goal to enhance residents well being and sense of community and belonging.    

Here's Better Business Bureau Profile:

Location of This Business

1785 Shuey Ave, Walnut Creek, CA 94596-4324
BBB File Opened:

2/11/2005

Years in Business:

23

Business Started:

11/15/2000

Business Started Locally:

11/15/2000

Accredited Since:

9/24/2014

Type of Entity:

Sole Proprietorship

Number of Employees:

45

Alternate Business Name

• The Heritage Pointe

• 
  

  Sale and tax history for 1785 Shuey Ave 
  • Sale History
  • Tax History

  Year	Property Tax	Land +	Additions =	Assessed Value
  2023	$285,393	$6,242,122	$10,983,279	$17,225,401
  2022	$285,666 (+3.3%)	$6,242,122	$10,983,279	$17,225,401
  2021	$276,411 (+3.6%)	$6,119,728	$10,767,921	$16,887,649
  2020	$266,914 (+0.8%)	$5,999,734	$10,556,786	$16,556,520
  2019	$264,775 (+3.3%)	$5,938,215	$10,448,540	$16,386,755
  2018	$256,247 (+3.3%)	$5,821,780	$10,243,667	$16,065,447
  2017	$248,167 (+2.7%)	$5,595,714	$9,845,894	$15,441,608

 https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/walnut-creek/profile/retirement-homes/the-heritage-downtown-1116-61737/details

Meanwhile here are some of My Fellow residents at THD

Some of the Residents- July 4, 2024 Barbecue Dinner and Party. 💚Again, ThankYou THD Management for responding positively to some of our suggestions to enhance our well-being and promote a sense of community here at THD.