“We are not planning for a one-off blip; we’re planning for the ‘Silver Tsunami’ that we know is coming,” said Carolina Village President and CEO Kevin Parries. “The project is about more than adding doors. It gives us an opportunity to look at the campus as a whole and make improvements that benefit both future and current residents.”

The expansion also calls for additional community and wellness amenities, including a multipurpose gathering space, gym and wellness area, rooftop terrace and covered parking. Construction will begin in mid-2027 and take approximately two years, putting the anticipated opening in 2029.

Henderson County already has a sizable older population, and that share is expected to continue growing. Parries said state demographic analysis projects that more than 32% of the county's population will be age 60 or older by 2030. Statewide, research from the Kenan Institute and LeadingAge North Carolina projects North Carolina's population age 65 and older will grow from 1.9 million to 3 million by 2050.

The trend is evident in the Carolina Village waiting list, which currently has about 1,000 households and is growing by about 20 each month.

“Granted, our entire waiting list isn't ready to move tomorrow,” Parries said. “Many people join years in advance. That lead time is actually one of the reasons we are planning for this now. Our goal is to make sure that when people are ready to make a move, we have homes available that meet their needs and preferences.”

Although prospective residents on the waiting list come from 31 states and four countries, Parries said the majority of Carolina Village residents come from Henderson County, continuing the organization's original mission of giving local residents an option to remain in the area as they age.

“What they all have in common is that they want an active retirement with the security of knowing that additional levels of care are available on the same campus if they eventually need them,” Parries said. “It’s a game-changer for them and their families.”

Carolina Village currently has 370 independent-living residences, including 235 apartments and 135 cottages. The proposed addition would increase that capacity by 60 residences, with plans ranging from approximately 1,100-square-foot one-bedroom apartments to approximately 1,873-square-foot two-bedroom apartments with dens.

“The mix is ultimately about providing flexibility,” Parries said. “People come to Carolina Village with different household sizes, lifestyles, budgets, and needs. We have one resident with a full-sized loom in her living room!”

With growth comes the question of how additional residents could affect the surrounding neighborhood. Rather than establishing a separate development, the new building would sit within the existing Carolina Village campus. Traffic projections estimate the expansion would generate approximately 20 peak-hour morning trips and 15 peak-hour evening trips. Parries noted that residents can access dining, healthcare, wellness and recreation on campus and use Carolina Village shuttles for appointments and shopping.

The organization is also considering parking, landscaping, utilities and stormwater management as part of the planning process.

“We take our responsibility to our neighbors and community very seriously,” Parries said. “We have always tried to lessen our demand for local services. This expansion will not change our cornerstones, which include being a good neighbor.”

Carolina Village opened in 1974 based on a locally developed vision for a community where Henderson County residents could continue living as they aged while having access to increasing levels of care when needed. More than five decades later, Parries sees the proposed expansion as a continuation of that mission.

“This expansion is really the next chapter of that same idea: making sure Carolina Village can continue serving the community for decades to come,” said Parries.

Learn more at CarolinaVillage.com.