by Ed Gunts
The Heights at Hunt Valley is the name of a 31-acre senior living community planned for construction just north of Hunt Valley Towne Centre in Baltimore County.
Bushrod Investments and Birchwood Capital Partners announced this week that they have acquired land at 180 Sparks Valley Road, between York Road and Interstate 83, and obtained approval for an age-restricted community containing 52 villa-style homes that will be for sale and a 158,000-square-foot assisting living facility.
Preliminary sitework has begun for the 28-foot-wide villa homes and sales will start in the spring of 2026. Lennar Homes is the builder of the villa homes, according to its website, and they will range in size from 2,100 square feet to 3,200 square feet, with options for one- or two-story residences. Construction is expected to begin next year on the assisted living site. Planned amenities include a community fire pit and outdoor grilling station, and an extensive walking trail system that meanders throughout the community.
Intended exclusively for residents aged 55 and above, the project is part of a trend in which developers are building senior living communities in response to demand from aging baby boomers who want to downsize from their current large residences yet stay active and close to areas with plenty of shopping, dining and entertainment options.
The Heights at Hunt Valley will be a short distance from Shawan Road and the York Road corridor; three miles from Cockeysville; 12 miles from Towson and Reisterstown and 20 miles from downtown Baltimore.
NexCore Group of Denver is beginning work this year on The Gallery at Roland Park, a 111-unit senior living community planned for a 12-acre parcel near the intersection of Falls Road and Northern Parkway in Baltimore City. The Edenwald retirement community in Towson is expanding onto the Goucher College campus. Brightview Senior Living is planning a 171-unit community on a 3.5-acre parcel leased from Notre Dame of Maryland University in Homeland, with options for independent living, assisted living and memory care.
According to information generated by Grand View Research of San Francisco, the active adult market size in the United States is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of more than four percent through 2030. The product is defined as “purpose-built housing for younger seniors with a heavy emphasis on community space and activities.” Grand View Research further indicates that this population is “more willing to explore new things, maintain a social life, and enjoy their life savings.”
Bushrod Investments is based in Baltimore and focuses on the development and sale of mixed-use, residential, and assisted living communities primarily located in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States. Founded by David Gildea in 2010, the group provides expertise in every aspect of a project’s life cycle, including land acquisition, entitlements and rezoning, development and leasing, and disposition services. It also specializes in sustainable sustainable development, distribution facilities, and green energy and eco-parks.
Birchwood Capital Partners, also based in Baltimore, is a commercial real estate investment and advisory firm with a focus on Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern markets. Founded in 2010 by David Strouse, it has two divisions, Birchwood Finance and Birchwood Investments. Birchwood Finance provides debt and equity solutions as well as guidance in evaluating investment opportunities, while Birchwood Investments acquires and develops properties. The group also has an office in Fort Myers, Florida.
“The Heights at Hunt Valley is being developed in direct response to the emerging popularity of age-restricted communities, and is specifically designed to address the residential needs of active seniors,” said Bushrod’s Gildea, said in a statement.
“There is a growing trend among this demographic group to downsize their current home and enjoy a maintenance-free and amenity-rich environment, surrounded by like-minded people in the same relative age range,” he said. “The community’s extensive walking trail system and community gathering places, as well as its proximity to major shopping and business centers, provides an ideal location for empty nesters and retirees who seek a vibrant and active lifestyle, while remaining close to family and friends.”
The development team made a financial contribution to Sherwood Episcopal Church at 5 Sherwood Road in Cockeysville to support its Clean Water Project. The congregation initiated its project in 2023 to combat the effects of storm water runoff flowing down Sherwood Hill through the church campus, causing property erosion, flooding and hazardous conditions for motorists and business owners along York Road, and contaminating the area’s drink water supply with pollutants. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources provided a $1.7 million grant in support of these efforts and The Chesapeake Bay Trust also provided grant money.
The church engaged an environmental restoration firm, Underwood & Associates, to pursue a nature-based solution to slow floodwater by introducing gravel, stone, and earthen ponds and streams to filter out pollutants. More than 100 trees will be planted at the church, and a riparian and wetland habitat will be established to help combat future flooding episodes.
“We consider it our responsibility to practice environmental stewardship and support critical initiatives that impact the future of the communities where we operate,” said Strouse, the President and CEO of Birchwood Capital Partners. “Left unchecked, the flooding occurring in Northern Baltimore has the potential to negatively impact a wide array of stakeholders, so backing the goals of the Clean Water Project is crucial. This involvement epitomizes our mission to be good corporate neighbors and to be a group that can be counted on to make a meaningful difference.”
