A New Name for Stamford's Smith House

The transition of the city-owned Smith House nursing home continues as a New York-based management company assumes reins of the facility on Rockrimmon Road.

Those calling the nursing home heard a different name when the phone was answered this week, according to The Advocate. Instead of Smith House, callers hear ‘The Villa at Stamford.’

That is reportedly part of the transition of the sale of the city-owned facility to the New York-based Center Management Group. The management group officially took over operations of the 128-bed facility on Jan. 4, thus relieving the city of the loss leader in its budget operations.

The company also is planning upgrades to the facility.

“As Smith House is being remodeled to a more state of the art, elegant and luxurious environment, the name will be changed to The Villa at Stamford, with high quality care for the residents remaining the number one focus,” Center Management’s regional operations director Shlomo Levi told The Advocate.

Before the lease-sale agreement approved in December, Stamford faced an estimated $6 million deficit this fiscal year, and had filed plans with the state to close the facility.

City officials say that despite some initial glitches, the transition has been smooth and that the new management is looking to fill a few dozen beds that are open at the facility that was opened in 1963.

The complete Advocate story can be found here.