9 November 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The closed Kansas Masonic Home may have found a new owner.
Oxford Senior Living says they have entered into a contract to purchase the campus and facilities in Wichita. The Kansas Masonic Home closed in December 2022.
The company says they will rename the facility Oxford Vista.
“We see an unmet need in the market for affordable senior housing,” said Chris Dennis, president of Oxford Senior Living, in a news release. “This acquisition provides an opportunity to offer Oxford’s first-class senior housing services at more affordable prices. With Oxford Vista, this beautiful campus will be a desirable location for many seniors looking for housing options.”
The company plans to offer Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care starting next year. Oxford says they will be contracting with a skilled nursing provider so they can offer a range of care.
The Kansas Masonic Home was founded by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Kansas in February of 1896. They purchased what was then farmland located at the corner of Seneca and Maple from Robert E. Lawrence for $21,000.
In December 1916, a fire destroyed the original facility. It took nearly three years to complete the new complex, which has been added on to over the years.
The former CEO of the Kansas Masonic Home cited bond debt from their last expansion and the COVID-19 pandemic as contributing factors to their closing. Oxford says the deal is expected to close by the end of 2023, and they plan to open the Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care units sometime after the first of the year.
Oxford Senior Living was founded in Wichita in 2010 and now has 23 facilities in 5 states.