By Joy Bergmann

Although official parties refuse to confirm it, multiple sources indicate that The Esplanade Senior Residence at 305 West End Avenue is being sold to The Bristal Assisted Living, a conglomerate of supportive residences owned by The Engel Burman Group.

Thursday afternoon, WSR found The Esplanade’s lobby bustling with activity:  a job fair for all positions was underway. And, according to two Esplanade staffers, current employees seeking to work for “the new owners” had to submit their resumes and be re-interviewed for their positions as well.

WSR asked the woman leading the job fair about the purported sale. “We don’t have any comment at this time,” she said. A current Esplanade manager would only say, “I don’t know if this is something that they want out there.”

They haven’t informed residents of any change in ownership, says Carol, whose 91 year-old mother-in-law has lived at The Esplanade for over four years, along with approximately 150 other seniors. Residents have their own studio or one-bedroom apartments, but also receive meals, cleaning services and access to health care aides; prices start at about $6000 per month.

Carol says she and her mother-in-law have noticed a decline in overall quality – especially food – over the past year and wonder whether any new owners will improve the situation, and at what cost. “It’s always a concern that prices will go up with someone new,” she says. Transparency would be welcomed, “The residents need to know.”

“A new owner will hopefully help to usher in a new age of responsibility at the Esplanade,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal. “But it’s also crucial that residents be given ample notice of changes that have the potential to impact the quality and kind of service they are accustomed to receiving.  Though State DOH does not oversee the sale of senior living facilities, I will work closely with stakeholders to ensure a seamless transition for my constituents.”

The Scharf family has owned and operated The Esplanade for decades, according to its web site. Recent years, however, have been troubled.

Two-year-old Greta Greene died in May 2015 after a piece of The Esplanade’s façade fell and hit her as she and her grandmother sat on a bench outside the building. An engineer was later convicted of signing off on a phony inspection report for the building and received probation.

And last month, criminal charges were filed against Esplanade Venture Partnership and Alexander Scharf for failing to maintain The Esplanade in a safe condition. The charges carry a maximum penalty of $25,000 or up to a year in jail, or both.

Alexander Scharf did not respond to WSR’s message. Nor did Marcy Levitt, the Esplanade’s current executive director. Nor did Ellen Antonucci, a marketing executive with The Bristal.

However, The Bristal’s own web site touts a new residence opening soon on the Upper West Side. A general inquiry about that new location garnered a phone call from a staffer.  She wasn’t sure of the exact address, but, “It’s the old Esplanade building.”