Legacy at Mills River, a $255 million continuing care retirement community in western North Carolina, broke ground Thursday. Construction is expected to be completed in 2027.

The CCRC will be the 24th senior living community for Wilmington-based senior Liberty Senior Living and its second in the region. It also will be the first newly developed CCRC in western North Carolina in more than 25 years.

“We’re thrilled to expand our presence in western North Carolina with a community offering luxury retirement living,” Liberty CEO Will Purvis said in a press release. “Strong pre-construction reservations have proven the demand for a concept like Legacy.”

Located eight miles south of Asheville, NC, Legacy at Mills River will offer a total of 216 residences, including a five-story building with 70 apartments, 76 single-family homes and 70 duplex units. Amenities will include multiple dining venues, a fitness and wellness center, a performing arts auditorium, a movie theater and a primary care clinic on site.

Outdoors, the CCRC will offer walking trails, a dog park, pickleball and bocce courts, community gardens and a stocked fishing pond.

Independent living residents will have access to housekeeping, dining, landscaping, transportation and 24-hour security.

“Commencing site work is not only a defining moment for our project, but for the greater retirement living industry in western North Carolina,” said David Ammons, president of Raleigh-based Retirement Living Associates and a principal developer. “Legacy will be the only retirement community in the region to offer homeownership along with access to private assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing.”

The project’s general contractor, Beverly-Grant, is a locally owned and operated firm with decades of regional experience.

“Our team is ready to build a state-of-the-art community using the area’s top subcontractors and industry partners,” Beverly-Grant President Rick Grant said. 

The CCRC is now accepting fully refundable 10% reservation deposits on available homes.