News

New life-care community to break ground Thursday

By Lightning Reports, Published: June 23, 2025

Site work will officially begin this week on Western North Carolina’s newest continuing care retirement community, Blue Ridge Retirement Partners, developers of Legacy at Mills River, announced.

A ceremonial groundbreaking event will be held on Thursday at 582 Jeffress Road with developers, project stakeholders, elected officials, staff and future residents expected to attend.
Set on 112 scenic acres just 8 miles south of Asheville, Legacy at Mills River will offer a total of 216 residences across a mix of home styles—including a five-story building with 70 apartments, 76 single-family homes, and 70 duplex units. The community is designed to provide an elevated lifestyle experience, featuring amenities such as:
• Multiple dining venues
• A fitness and wellness center
• A performing arts auditorium and movie theater
• A primary care clinic 
Outdoor and lifestyle offerings will include walking trails, a dog park, pickleball and bocce courts, community gardens, and a stocked fishing pond. Residents will also benefit from enhanced independent living services such as housekeeping, dining, landscaping, transportation and 24-hour security. A dedicated health center on campus will provide licensed assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing—ensuring a full continuum of care in one location.
“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.”
Liberty Senior Living, a Wilmington-based senior housing operator and co-developer, will bring its extensive expertise to the project. Legacy at Mills River will be Liberty’s 24th senior living community and second in the region.
“We’re thrilled to expand our presence in Western North Carolina with a community offering luxury retirement living,” said Will Purvis, CEO of Liberty Senior Living. “Strong pre-construction reservations have proven the demand for a concept like Legacy.”
The project’s general contractor, Beverly-Grant, Inc., is a locally owned and operated firm with decades of regional experience.
“We’re proud to be part of such a visionary development,” said Rick Grant, president of Beverly-Grant and a principal developer. “Our team is ready to build a state-of-the-art community using the area’s top subcontractors and industry partners.”
Legacy’s core design and engineering team includes local firms such as ARCA Design, McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, Civil Design Concepts and Kimley-Horn. Construction is expected to be completed in 2027.
Once finished, Legacy at Mills River will be the first newly developed CCRC in Western North Carolina in more than 25 years—providing more than 350 older adults the opportunity to own a home in a maintenance-free, age-restricted community with
seamless access to healthcare services.
Legacy is now accepting fully refundable 10 percent reservation deposits on available homes. While a wide variety of home styles are offered to suit every lifestyle, a limited number of highly desirable locations and designs remain. Learn more at www.legacyatmillsriver.co