University-Linked Senior Living Communities Gain Traction Across the U.S.

According to REBusiness Online, more than 80 university retirement communities (URCs) are now open across the United States, reflecting growing momentum for a senior housing model that pairs older adults with the energy and amenities of college campuses.

Andrew Carle, president of Carle Consulting and operator of UniversityRetirementCommunities.com, said the concept brings together "two completely different worlds," but he remains one of the sector’s strongest advocates. The model has expanded significantly since early examples such as Meadowood at Indiana University, which opened in 1983, and Green Hills at Iowa State, built in 1986.

The source describes those first communities as largely "organically built" rather than intentionally planned as a formal product type. As the category has matured, Carle’s website has evolved into a directory and information resource for existing URCs, while his work now includes certification and consulting for universities exploring the format.

Key Details

URCs typically range from 200 to 300 units, and many operate as continuing care retirement communities with entrance-fee structures. Broadview at Purchase College in Harrison, New York, is one example. Life Care Services developed and operates the property on behalf of its ownership. The community includes 220 independent living residences, 34 assisted living units and 34 memory care units. Executive director Ashley Wade said Broadview’s independent living component is fully occupied and has a strong waitlist.

Other communities cited in the report are also seeing strong demand. The Spires at Berry College in Rome, Georgia, opened in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive director Laurie Steber said the community remained ahead of schedule during lease-up and currently has waitlists for its independent living and assisted living apartments, with memory care and skilled nursing occupancy at roughly 99 percent. Ownership is planning an expansion that will add seven cottages with room for 14 more residents.

Sooner Station in Norman, Oklahoma, affiliated with the University of Oklahoma, opened in 2022. Designed by Pi Architects, the 206,000-square-foot community includes 101 independent living apartments, 64 assisted living apartments and 24 memory care units.

The report also highlights The Woodlands at Furman in Greenville, South Carolina, where President and CEO Rick Brackett said about 30 percent of residents are tied to the university as staff, faculty, alumni or past presidents, while the other 70 percent have moved from across the country.

Why It Matters

For CRE professionals, URCs stand out as a specialized senior housing format that appears to benefit from both lifestyle differentiation and broad geographic draw. The appeal goes beyond housing, extending to campus amenities, classes, performances and intergenerational engagement.

Operators, designers and residents interviewed in the report all pointed to those factors as competitive advantages over more traditional senior living communities. If that demand continues, URCs could remain an active niche for universities, developers and senior housing operators looking for a distinct positioning in the market.