New assisted living complex to be built in Solebury; future age-restrict housing planned

Groundbreaking is planned in early March for The Birches at New Hope, the first senior-living community for those needing assisted or memory care to be built near the borough in neighboring Solebury.

The project may be the first part of Heritage Senior Living's plans for Solebury.

The developer also is in the preliminary stage of presenting the township with plans for a 55-plus, age-restricted community of "luxury apartments" and rental cottages on vacant land where The Fountainhead once was located. The Fountainhead was a banquet hall damaged in a fire many years ago, said Heritage Chairman and CEO Kevin McCollum said.

"A project like this hasn't been developed in New Hope in years," McCollum said in a phone interview.

Heritage is developing the three-story, 98,000 square foot Birches at New Hope building on Lower York Road, next to the Logan Square shopping center outside New Hope. It should open in 2025.

It will accommodate 121 residents in 62 units in the personal care section and 31 units in a secure, memory care section. Some of the units will be available for couples or companions, said Gretchen Vakiener, vice president for sales and marketing.

"Our hope is we'll allow seniors who are living in Solebury to continue living in a community they call home," Vakiener said. Heritage has three other area Birches communities in Newtown, Harleysville and in Bethlehem Township in the Lehigh Valley, she added. The company's website shows it has 20 senior developments in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Virginia.

More: Roots to River Farm to add tasting room in Solebury. Here's the plan to share their harvest

Deposits are now being taking for future residents at The Birches at New Hope, Vakiener said.

"Since this community is under development, we will be taking $500 refundable deposits to get on the waiting list. Once we are able to give tours in The Birches, people on the waiting list will select an apartment and at that time a $3,750 Community Fee is collected. That secures a specific apartment for the future resident until the building opens. There are no other buy-ins, entrance fees or long-term leases," she said.

The fees for residents at The Birches have not been established, McCollum said, but he expects them to be "below the competition," in private-pay, assisted living communities.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Birches at New Hope assisted living, memory care construction to start