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3. The view from Pennfield Township On October 25, 2007, the board of supervisors of Michigan's Pennfield Township approved a special use permit for Deep Lake LLC. The article, reported in the Pennfield Township Enquirer ("Deep Lake project marries development, conservation") included a quote from the planning commissioner: "I think this is a feather in the township's cap. They are spending extra money to make sure this development has a very low impact on the land. This will be a very positive thing for Pennfield Township." The supportive article ticks off a series of factoids that the journalist thought would be of interest to her readers.
The reporter suggested that Pennfield Township will experience the development as "a place where residents learn about protecting the environment through sustainable development, alternative medicine and living a healthy lifestyle." What is on its way, with the board's decision, is "a proposed health and wellness center and residential community that LaRou and Valvo said will change the way people think about sustainable development." 4. The Deep Lake Wellness Center LaRou and Valvo early on brought Warber, an experienced integrative clinic operator, and Rita Benn, PhD, her associate at the University of Michigan, into their core planning groups. They began looking for a partner to develop and manage the integrated wellness services. For this, LaRou and Valvo brought in Amato and his associate with Inner Harmony Group (IHG), Steve Szydlowski, PhD. IHG, an Integrator sponsor, has become part of Deep Lake's core team, with responsibility for developing the community's wellness business strategy and operations. The clinic wil be co-housed in a 20,000 square foot facility with the spa offerings. Said LaRou: "The experience will be seamless between the medical and the spa side."  Russ Valvo "To provide a wellness experience and comprehensive plan for each patient utilizing the best of integrative medicine and natural approaches to healing that guides and empowers individuals toward obtaining optimum health and well-being."A follow-up Integrator article will explore the clinical services with Amato and Szydlowski. The bottom line forecasts are for revenues in the first year to originate roughly 9% from nearby communities, 22% from repeat visitors and nearly 58% from hotel and resort clientele. The remaining 10% will be revenues from products. 5. Possible model: building a package of integrated wellness services into housing prices LaRou and Valvo are exploring various strategies for interweaving the components of the village and resort. One challenge is to ensure the new residents are comfortable and familiar with the complementary and integrative services offered through the proposed Deep Lake Wellness Center. Valvo shared that the team is "thinking of building a package of services into the price of the home." Under discussion is a grouping that might include a comprehensive evaluation with the lead clinician, a set of spa visits and a series of visits to utilize the modalities and care of nutritionists, acupuncture and Oriental medicine specialists and other natural medicine practitioners. Said Valvo: "We want the people we serve to end up with a plan for their lives that is beyond what they have thought of before. This will be a new model for healthful living and learning in the 21st century."  Meg LaRou, on the land LaRou, Valvo and their teams realized that meeting all of their goals inside Deep Lake, and as a national model, meant adding another component to their project: a not-for-profit, 501c3 organization. They created the Deep Lake Institute as an academic, research and educational entity. They are looking at various out-of-the-box and conventional funding sources:
LaRou notes that the Institute has sponsored several day-long and weekend programs through which they began cultivating relationships with local philanthropic organizations and universities. 7. From "transformation" to "linking wellness and nature" Valvo, looking back, states bluntly: "I'm so glad we didn't build four years ago. Our plans have changed a lot." One change has been the cut line beneath the Deep Lake logo. When the two first announced their intention, their focus was on education. The Deep Lake project would be a "pathway to transformation." Now, thoroughly ensconced in the resort and residential components, they announce Deep Lake this way: "linking wellness and nature." The positioning of their eco-smart building strategies also shifted. They originally focused on "environmentally sensitive homes." Their thinking switched to "energy smart." Now, says Valvo, "what we're learning is that what's up for people is simply healthy homes."  Another view of the property It's not all a lock, yet. LaRou and Valvo still need to find some additional investment partners to build out the resort and wellness center. And then there is the business of finding just the right integrative medical doctor who will want to work with them to realize this dream of transformation and change agency in the US heartland. Interested? Coming next: The Inner Harmony Group on Strategic Thinking Behind the Deep Lake Wellness Center. Comments: I had the opportunity to learn of this project via Deep Lake's advisers Rita Benn and Sara Warber nearly two years ago and so have had a chance to observe the journey from afar. While my own Costa Rica experience makes me wonder what locos they were to leave Central American for Michigan, great kudos to LaRou and Valvo for choosing both the heartland and especially the "mid-market" for their project. I grew up with a holiday story in which a wise narrator opines that "old Sandy Claus do believe in spreading the good stuff around." I know that, to continue to make it so with this unique project, they are open to real interest regarding both integrative physician services and investment.
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