News
Siena on Brendenwood has been called home by hundreds of people in Rockford since the 1980s. It is our honor to have Siena on Brendenwood in our family. First Midwest Group purchased the retirement facility from the Catholic Diocese of Rockford in 2017. The retirement facility has over 100 apartments and offers on-site hairdressers, library, dining, and programming from arts and crafts to a vintage car cruise night.
(RRStar, Susan Vela, Dec 12, 2016) - Developer Sunil Puri worked at a senior living facility in the early 1980s when he first arrived from India. Now, his company is purchasing Siena on Brendenwood, a retirement community near the intersection of Brendenwood and North Alpine roads.
Ownership is supposed to “seamlessly change” in January from the Catholic Diocese of Rockford to First Midwest Group, Puri’s real estate development company, according to a news release from Sienna on Brendenwood.
Neither Puri nor Siena representatives were available for comment. Siena’s statement did not disclose the sales price.
The Catholic Diocese of Rockford has owned the retirement community since 1993. Officials of the diocese decided it was time to let someone else manage its future.
“We have thoroughly enjoyed growing Siena on Brendenwood to a thriving senior community for more than 20 years,” spokeswoman Penny Wiegert said. “Our mission as a diocese, however, is one of ministry and to be good stewards of the lives and dollars of those we serve.
“At this point in time, our strategic level of expertise in managing senior living facilities has reached its cap. We need to transition to management that will be able to continue to best serve Siena’s residents today and into the future.”
The news release said Puri worked at one of the region’s senior living facilities while attending Rockford University. He also is known as a Diocese of Rockford supporter who served several years on Siena’s volunteer board of directors.
Siena’s website promotes a welcoming community for seniors. It has more than 100 apartments.
Puri plans to maintain Siena’s “Catholic-friendly” residence. He lives a half mile away from the facility and intends to remain involved in its operation.
“I believe in caring for seniors with dignity and respect,” Puri said in the news release. “It’s a wonderful facility with employees who have a passion for caring for each senior resident as if he or she was a family member of their own.”
Some of Puri’s relatives have lived at Siena.
“It was a natural fit,” Wiegert said. “Mr. Puri has long had the best intentions of Siena and its residents at heart. He has a true passion to help people age in place and has a vision for Siena’s residents to live healthy lives independently at Siena as long as possible.”
