Alexandria's West End has a big new construction job underway, and it is aimed at one of the fastest-growing groups of residents in Northern Virginia: older adults.
Goodwin Living broke ground Wednesday, Oct. 7, on Goodwin House Seminary Road, a $360 million senior living community at N. Beauregard Street and Seminary Road, ALXnow reported. Mayor Alyia Gaskins and City Council members Sandy Marks and Abdel Elnoubi joined leaders from Goodwin Living and Clark Construction for the ceremony.
The new community sits near two of the nonprofit operator's existing properties, The View Alexandria and Goodwin House Alexandria.
What is being built
The project will hold 257 units across two towers for adults 55 and older:
- 217 independent living apartments
- 16 assisted living apartments
- 24 skilled nursing and memory care units
Clark Construction is serving as the general contractor. Terry Simon, a division president with Clark, called the project "a critical step forward in expanding the essential housing, wellness, and healthcare infrastructure needed for our region's older adults."
"We are proud to partner with Goodwin Living on this $360 million investment, creating more than 1,000 local construction jobs," Simon said.
Opening is expected in 2029.
The amenity list reads like a small town. Plans include indoor pickleball courts, rooftop green spaces, a saltwater indoor pool, a fitness center, arts studios, several dining venues and pet services. One highlight will be an urban arboretum with trees and outdoor space that will also be open to the public for scheduled visits and tours.
Demand is already there
Goodwin Living isn't waiting to see whether people will come. According to ALXnow, 100% of 210 apartments had been reserved by March, and 550 depositors are lined up for apartments or the waiting list. The story did not explain the difference between that 210 figure and the 217 independent living apartments in the plan.
Rob Liebreich, Goodwin Living's president and CEO, told ALXnow that Northern Virginia is the sixth fastest-growing market for older adults in the country. He estimated the region will see about 40% growth in adults 65 and older between 2020 and 2030.
"It represents a wonderful new addition to Alexandria and to the region in terms of a place for 350 older adults and 150 new jobs and positions," Liebreich said.
Seven of the one-bedroom homes will be set aside as affordable units under a plan worked out with the City of Alexandria. Liebreich said those units will carry an entrance fee under $200,000 and a monthly fee of about $2,000. ALXnow noted it corrected an earlier version of its story to reflect the $200,000 entrance fee.
Residents in those units keep their rate if they later need more care. "If they need assisted living or skilled nursing, their monthly fee doesn't go up, other than for a little bit of food allowance," Liebreich said.
He said the long lead time gives future residents a chance to plan. "I think the fact that we've got a two-year plus lead time before they actually have to move gives a good pathway for folks," he said.
Why it matters for Contractors
A $360 million job is a big one for any city, and Clark's estimate of more than 1,000 construction jobs over the life of the project gives a sense of how much trade work is involved.
Senior living with skilled nursing and memory care is more complex than a typical apartment building. Those floors typically bring health care requirements for mechanical systems, medical gas, nurse call, life safety and infection control, along with commercial kitchens for multiple dining venues and pool systems for the indoor saltwater pool. That opens doors for specialty subcontractors well beyond the usual multifamily trades.
Because Clark is the general contractor, subcontractors and suppliers looking for a piece of the job should go through Clark's bidding and prequalification process rather than through Goodwin Living.
With apartments already fully reserved and an opening targeted for 2029, the schedule pressure is real. Future residents have already put down deposits, so the owner has every reason to keep the job moving.
The project also points to a bigger trend. If Liebreich's estimate of 40% growth in the 65-and-older population holds, senior housing and care facilities could be a steady source of work across Northern Virginia for years to come.