Construction begins on senior living high-rise in Southampton Place

A 17-story luxury senior living community will rise in one of Houston’s wealthiest areas.

Houston-based Bridgewood Property Co. announced April 12 that construction has started on the project, called The Village of Southampton. It will be at 5020 Kelvin St. in Southampton Place, a neighborhood adjacent to West University Place and Rice University.

"One of our primary considerations in identifying an appropriate location for a new senior community is enabling prospective residents to stay in the neighborhoods where they have always lived," Jim Gray, Bridgewood’s president and founder, said in a press release. "We saw that this well-loved, long-established Houston enclave was very much underserved in quality senior living options."

The Village of Southampton is expected to open in spring 2020. It will be 340,699 square feet and offer 204 total units, consisting of 108 independent living units, 68 assisted living units and 28 memory care units. Community amenities will include an indoor heated pool and spa, fitness center, movie theater, full-service salon, outdoor terraces, secured garage parking for residents and guests, valet and concierge services, formal and private dining, bistro, sky lounge and shuttle service to local destinations.

Dallas-based PRDG designed the tower, and Houston-based SpawGlass is the general contractor. SpawGlass also was the general contractor for Bridgewood’s The Village of River Oaks, an eight-story community that opened last year.

Bridgewood’s in-house management company, Houston-based Retirement Center Management, will manage The Village of Southampton. Bridgewood owns properties under the Village brand in Texas and manages properties under the Village on the Park and Carriage Inn brands in Texas and Oklahoma through Retirement Center Management. Some of the Village-branded properties are midrise communities, according to Bridgewood's website, but The Village of Southampton will be significantly taller than any of the company's existing properties.

"High-rise senior living is an emerging trend in the senior living market," Bridgewood's press release states. "The model enables more senior living communities to locate in areas with costly urban real estate, allowing urban seniors to stay in the city in which they have always lived. High-rise senior living also provides residents with high-quality apartment homes and amenities, highly personalized services and opportunities for ongoing connection with their communities."