Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community, a mission-focused, faith-based retirement community in south Asheville, has announced an expansion to its facility that will include almost 200 new units and cost nearly $400 million.

Libby Bush, President and CEO of Deerfield, said the project has been in the works for several years. The hope, according to Deerfield’s website, is for residents to move into the new facilities in 2028.

“I've been here over three years, and our prior leadership was working on an expansion project three years before that,” Bush said. “Coming out of COVID my predecessor and the board made a bold, brave decision to push pause on their planning then, because of all the reasons we know about (including) material escalation and labor shortage. When I got here, it was a paused expansion project, and then we pushed play again, and here we are.”

Deerfield anticipates issuing up to $395 million in tax-exempt bonds to fund the development cost associated with the addition of 165 new Independent Living Units, 10 Assisted Living, 12 Memory Care, and 12 Skilled Nursing units. Ninety-six of the proposed units will be available in six Canterbury homes, which are smaller than apartment buildings but larger than single-family dwellings. The remaining 69 units will be in a new apartment building.

Deerfield is a continuing care retirement community operating on 125 acres that currently serves more than 650 residents.

A reason for the needed expansion is a growing waiting list that currently has 1,600 names, Bush said.

“We're mission focused and faith based at Deerfield, and there was strong interest in the expansion prior and now as well, and there’s been an incredible response as we rolled this out with pre-sales,” Bush said. “We're doing (the expansion) because we have this history of exceptional financial stewardship, too. We're able to do an expansion of this size with all the renovations included, because of the financial stewardship and the history of that. We're committed to growing our impact, whether it's expanding our mission, expanding for the wait list, and also, frankly, for western North Carolina, because we're going to be able to add jobs here. So we're looking forward to all those things.”

The expansion will take place on 30 acres of previously purchased land that Deerfield has owned for decades. Deerfield will partner with The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, who will serve as general contractor, for this project and hope to begin work in 2026.

Due to its healthcare, amenities, climate, and other reasons, Western North Carolina has become a hotspot for retirees. For this season, Deerfield is excited to continue in its role in helping residents ease into retirement.

“Our mission is to enrich lives, and specifically those who live and work here. We also commit to be a leader in aging services. And within all that, we are focused on the well-being of our residents, our valued team members, and the greater western North Carolina community,” Bush said.

For more information on Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community and its expansion plan, check out its website: https://deerfieldwnc.org/