Senior Housing Planning,
Design and Construction:
Community Living Solutions
Senior Housing Communities That Feel Like Home and Align with Organizational Goals
Developing or expanding a senior housing community in the Upper Midwest is about creating communities that support resident well-being, operational efficiency, and long-term value.
Community Living Solutions, a division of DBS Group, partners with providers, owners, developers, and operators, bringing proven expertise to every phase of the process.
Our integrated approach spans master planning, architecture, and construction across the continuum of care. Unlike firms that rely on stock plans or adapt existing designs, we begin with a custom master planning process that considers your market, mission, care model, and sustainability goals — creating a one-of-a-kind community that’s tailored to you.
Because our full-service architecture team works in-house alongside our construction professionals, every design decision is evaluated for cost, constructability, and performance in real time. The result is a unique facility that feels like home for residents, operates efficiently for staff, and performs to your organization’s financial goals.
Community Living Solutions:
Senior Housing Expertise, Backed by Design-Build
In 2025, Community Living Solutions joined DBS Group, combining its exclusive focus on senior housing with our proven, customer-first design-build process. Together, we offer unmatched insight into sustainable senior living solutions, helping you plan, design, and build communities that meet resident needs and align with your organization’s financial and quality goals.
Comprehensive Services for Senior Living Facilities
From early feasibility to occupancy, Community Living Solutions provides comprehensive expertise for every stage of your project.
- Master planning — Understanding your organization’s unique reality, aspirations and mission, and then creating a design solution that aligns with your organization’s objectives, market demand, and financial goals.
- Architecture and interior design — Full in-house architecture services to create spaces that are functional, efficient, and welcoming.
- Construction and management — Executing projects safely, on budget, on schedule and of high quality.
Specialized Project Types
Senior housing communities aren’t one-size-fits-all. Each community — whether active adult, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, memory care, or a continuum of care — comes with unique objectives as well as its own design, regulatory, and operational demands. With decades of senior living expertise, our team delivers solutions that address each community’s distinctive market needs and financial goals. From single-site to continuing care retirement communities, we create sustainable environments that meet care requirements, enhance residents’ quality of life, enhance marketability and perform in alignment with your financial goals.
Learn more about how we can bring your vision to life
Contact us today to discuss your next senior living community project.
Our Work in Senior Housing
Featured Project
Boka Haven
North Branch, MN
Senior Housing
Affiliations
- American College of Health Care Administrators
- Associated General Contractors of Minnesota
- Associated General Contractors of WI
- Care Providers of Minnesota
- Iowa Health Care Association
- LeadingAge
- LeadingAge Indiana
- LeadingAge Iowa
- LeadingAge Minnesota
- LeadingAge Wisconsin
- Pioneer Network
- Society for the Advancement of Gerontological Environments
- US Green Building Council
- Wisconsin Assisted Living Association
- Wisconsin Health Care Association
- Wisconsin Healthcare Engineering Association
- Wisconsin Center for Assisted Living
Testimonials
“Working with Community Living Solutions is a fantastic experience. They form a real relationship, which helps them better understand our needs, and both of us communicate more effectively to create a better product. I shared my ideas, and they used their expertise to elevate them into something outstanding. Now, I’m getting a product that is far superior to what I could even have imagined.”
— Laura Borris
Administrator, Sacred Heart Care Center, Austin, MN
“We have completed numerous projects with Community Living Solutions. We trust the team to bring a project from concept to occupancy permit and everything in between.”
— Bob Siebel
CEO Carriage Health Care Company, Lakewood, CO
“Community Living Solutions did not disappoint. They put great thought into the functionality of the buildings for both older adults and their caregivers. They knew every regulatory requirement inside and out, and their ideas for maximizing space and making logical connections to existing facilities resulted in flawless designs and an efficient work environment.”
— Sondra Norder
NHA, JD, President & CEO, St. Paul Elder Services, Kaukauna, WI
“The architectural team made excellent suggestions about the flow of living space and mirrored our vision for elder care. The bidding process was totally transparent. We viewed every bid, and nothing was hidden. We were also allowed to use local contractors, which provided local jobs and helped our community.”
— Dan Valentine
Administrator, United Pioneer Home, Luck, WI
“The Community Living Solutions team brings a seamless transition from the architectural and strategic planning process through the construction and completion.”
— Doug Johnson
President, Hawkeye Care Centers of Iowa, West Des Moines, IA
“Working with DBS Group has been a wonderful experience. They listened to our vision, goals and aspirations and took it to heart. And they helped us every step of the way, connecting us with stakeholders and people who have the resources to help. They also did all the legwork to make it easy for the city to approve our project. From the bankers to the city and others involved in the project, all said DBS Group is on top of their game and knows their stuff. They did an amazing job of making it a smooth process and went far beyond what we expected. We are already recommending them to others and will definitely work with them again on our next project.”
— Ettafa and Dee Boka
Boka Haven
