A new senior living community in New Whiteland could be the best of both worlds.
Vita New Whiteland, 595 Country Gate Drive, is being called “affordable luxury” by the developer, Vita Holdings. While being chock full of amenities, the complex features prices that are lower than what seniors would see from similar communities. The campus features “affordable” housing for seniors of different abilities, with independent living, assisted living and memory care units available, said Zeke Turner, founder and CEO of Vita Investment Holdings.
The mission of Vita of New Whiteland is to be an affordable housing complex for seniors county-wide and beyond. The apartments are priced below traditional market rates to make them affordable to older generations who are looking to downsize, or may need some extra care, Turner said.
Independent living apartments are expected to cost between $1,000 to $1,700 per month for one-bedroom or two-bedroom.
Assisted living can cost around $4,000 to $6,000 a month, depending on apartment size and the level of care that is needed, said Brady McClure, Vita’s sales counseling director. Memory care units would be a bit more expensive than assisted living with the total cost depending on the individual’s care needs, he said.
“Whether you need some services or none and you just want a place to live. We believe that those offerings should be more affordable than what they are,” Turner said. “And so this is designed to serve people from all walks of life and from all levels of income and it’s exciting to be able to bring that to these communities that otherwise, really, don’t have anything like that.”
These lower prices are made possible, in part, by tax credits from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. The company was awarded $674,394 in rental housing tax credits annually for 10 years for this project. The company has built similar affordable senior living campuses in Greenfield, Arcadia, Fowler and Rensselaer.
Assisted living and memory care units will open up to residents in April, while the independent living units are expected to be complete sometime in the summer, Turner said. Any senior 62 years or older is welcome to ask about leasing now to reserve their spot for any unit, he said.
“It’s designed to serve people throughout Johnson County and beyond as needed,” Turner said. “And based on the level of interest we’re getting so far — it’s the right place at the right time. There’s clearly a lot of need for this in the area.”
The campus features two state-of-the-art apartment buildings. The independent living community features 130 apartments, while the assisted living community will have 112 apartments including a 40-unit memory care neighborhood. Studio and one-bedroom apartments will comprise the assisted living section, while independent living units will include one and two-bedroom options, McClure said.
The apartment types are designed largely the same, though the assisted living and memory care units also come with access to on-site care from on-site nurses and caregivers who can help with things like housekeeping, bathing and getting dressed, McClure said.
Medicaid and other health insurances would be accepted for eligible care. Seniors who live in independent living units can request services for a fee or can hire their own home health care service. Seniors can also keep their own physician, though there are physicians that Vita will partner with, McClure said.
There are amenities for all types of housing but the most exciting aspects of the property are those geared toward seniors who like to live an active lifestyle, McClure said.
“We have a dog wash station, so we are pet-friendly apartments. And there’s actually a full dog wash station in the independent living (area), which I think is going to be lucrative for a lot of folks,” McClure said. “(We have) pickleball, bocce ball, lots of common areas and gathering areas within the community. So taking a page out of that active living senior lifestyle type feel is what we’re hoping to promote.”
To inquire about Vita New Whiteland email [email protected] or call 317-463-7155. The volume of interest is high and McClure is working through requests as fast he can, he said.
There are also several types of job openings still available. To apply, email [email protected].