McCORDSVILLE — An Indianapolis developer is planning its second McCordsville senior living community, but this one would be for a more active population.
Leo Brown Group is eyeing 22 acres immediately east of Traditions at Brookside, the senior living community it opened at 6311 W. County Road 900N in McCordsville in 2017 and expanded in 2018. The community has 157 units, including assisted living, independent living, memory care and garden homes.
Mike Wagner, president of Leo Brown Group, told McCordsville Town Council members on Nov. 12 that the new community would be for active adult living — an age-restricted housing option that doesn’t have a care component.
“We’re looking to do something larger, more spacious than what we already have out at Traditions at Brookside, to try to attract that younger senior,” Wagner said.
The community would have 54 units within a villa concept, each with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and two-car garages. It would also have 40 units within a main building with a mix of one and two bedrooms.
The first floor of that building would include a clubhouse and space for amenities that could include a fitness center, yoga studio, multi-use rooms and indoor swimming pool, Wagner said. Outdoor amenities could include a fire pit, dog park, pickleball courts and space for bocce ball.
“We really want to focus on an active, wellness-based and social-driven lifestyle,” Wagner said. “It’s an ideal situation for baby boomers who want to downsize, have a maintenance-free situation, but want to be part of something that’s social and wellness-based.”
The project would also include expanding Traditions at Brookside’s independent living component by adding 12 units, Wagner said.
Leo Brown Group hopes to start construction in summer 2020 and complete it in winter 2021.
All of the units would be rentals, Wagner said.
“Individuals in active adult communities prefer renting over owning because it offers a lot of flexibility and lower economic commitment,” he said. “…They’re healthy enough that they don’t need what we offer at Traditions at Brookside, but they don’t want to move into an apartment community and be around younger people whose lifestyles conflict with theirs.”
Wagner emphasized that the community’s rental status would not compromise its quality.
“While this is a rental product, it would be planned to be very upscale and attractive, and monthly fees that we would expect to charge would be very similar to what a mortgage payment would be for a $500,000-and-up home,” he said.
He noted that uses called for in the area within its respective planning document are big box stores. Leo Brown Group’s concept would be far less intrusive to those already living in the area, he added.
Ryan Crum, planning and building director for McCordsville, said the town’s plan commission and council would have to amend the area’s guiding planning document before Leo Brown Group could proceed with its plan.
Several council members, including Larry Longman, expressed support for the proposal.
“I prefer that development over big-box retail,” Longman said.
