Skender Wants to Put “Modular” in Senior Housing Construction

Modular construction is starting to be accepted as an affordable multifamily development option. However, when it comes to senior housing construction, pre-fab buildings haven’t exactly been popular. Skender, a Chicago-based modular construction company, wants to change that.

The company recently announced plans to open a new manufacturing facility that would assemble modular building parts for senior housing, as well as multifamily, health care and other commercial buildings in and around Chicago. The facility will focus on manufacturing, general contracting and design.

Skender CEO Mark Skender told Senior Housing News that, while building senior housing communities with modular construction has been under discussion, issues exist that have prevented the process from gaining necessary traction. One problem is the moving parts inherent in getting a senior housing project off the ground. The other is that previous modular projects didn’t turn out so well.

“There’s unfamiliarity with the new system, there’s risk aversion, the outcome isn’t usually as positive as everyone thinks it should be. But [Skender’s approach to modular construction] will be a different approach,” Skender said.

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