Shovels are in the ground for the construction of the new senior living community, Mount Sterling Senior Living (Loudoun View Senior Living), that will provide 98 new affordable apartments for low-income residents in Sterling, VA. Loudoun Economic Development hosted the virtual groundbreaking on February 15, 2021.
This is a unique development for Loudoun County, where the real estate market favors high prices. The property was developed through a partnership with Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) and Edmondson and Gallagher Property Services LLC. The project has multiple sources of funding, including a loan through Loudoun County and state grants.
“Just because Loudoun has high-income residents, that doesn’t mean that’s all we should have,” said Loudoun County chairwoman Phyllis Randall at the groundbreaking. “The executive assistants, the line staff, food service workers, etc. should all be able to live in the County.”
Ms. Randall also praised the high-quality materials and design practices for the development. “Just because someone may have an income at 50 percent of the average median income doesn’t mean they should have to live in low-quality housing. High-quality materials speak to people’s dignity and pride.”
christopher has been involved on Mount Sterling since the rezoning phase, and provided civil engineering, surveying, landscape architecture and planning services throughout the design phase. christopher will also be providing construction phase services through the anticipated completion date in 2022.
christopher was brought onto the project by Michael Capretti of Capretti Land, who had the original vision for the project and brought it to life. Mr. Capretti managed the project from the initial rezoning to the ongoing construction. He also was instrumental in bringing in APAH and E&G to Loudoun County, offering additional affordable housing alternatives for the community.
“It would be sad for those who raised their families here to have to move away just to find affordable housing,” said Koran Saines, Vice Chairman of the Loudoun County Board.
The project’s developers proposed to keep the apartments price-controlled for 75 years. The apartments will also be 30 percent more energy efficient than required by building code. Ten of the apartments are designed to be accessible to the mobility-impaired, and two are designed for the visually- and hearing impaired. Another ten will be designated for chronically homeless seniors. The units will be priced for people making 30 or 50 percent of the area median income.
“Loudoun View Senior Living is now a reality,” said Susan Dewey, executive director of Virginia Housing. “It will open its doors in just 13 months. This shows what we can do when we work together, united by our shared mission.”
