Senior Housing Complex Takes Step Forward

A proposal by Beacon Management Corporation of Greensboro to build a three-story apartment complex for seniors on Swann Trail took a step forward this week when the Town Council approved a required rezoning and utility allocation.

The $9 million project, designated for residents 55 and older, will go back to the Planning Board for approval of the site plan and architectural details.

Though the proposal has raised concerns from some who want the site to remain undeveloped, Mayor Pro Tem Michael Grannis reminded area residents at a public hearing Monday evening that zoning regulations allow "something you'd like a lot less" to locate there. The prior zoning would have allowed highway commecial development. The housing complex is a good use of the land, he said.

The project includes 45 one-bedroom and 24 two-bedroom apartments on a 4.3-acre tract of land in the Riverwood Athletic Center subdivision.

The site is bounded by Pritchard Road to the north, Swann Trail to the west, Waterfield Drive to the southwest and Collinsworth Drive to the south.

"The proposed development is consistent with the Strategic Growth Plan," according to a staff analysis from the Planning Department. "The proposed use will provide an additional housing opportunity not currently available in this satellite area of the Town. The use balances development opportunities and provides a transition of use between existing residential and future commercial uses."

The complex will feature brick outside on the first two floors and siding for the third floor, with an asphalt single roof.