Senior living developments are opening in the Conroe and Montgomery area to meet the growing senior adult population. Conroe and Montgomery ZIP codes saw a 27.48% increase in residents age 55 and older from 2016-21, according to five-year American Community Survey estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Scott Harper, president of the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce, said he believes rapid growth within the senior population is from residents moving to the area and perceiving Conroe and Montgomery as an ideal region to retire.
"The people that have been here don’t want to leave,” Harper said. “I say it all the time; we are far enough but close enough to Houston. ... We have the state park and other amenities up here that you don’t find closer to Houston.”
In addition, Community Sales Manager Ann Carroll-Malec with Taylor Morrison—the developer of Bonterra at Woodforest, an age-restricted community that opened in 2013—said the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated sales in senior living communities in Conroe and Montgomery.
“We sold probably twice as many homes [during the pandemic] than we normally do,” Carroll-Malec said in reference to homes in Bonterra. “I think a lot of people were re-evaluating their life and thinking, ‘I want more out of life.’”
April Engstrom is the senior development associate with Overland Property Group—the group developing the Historical Montgomery County Hospital into Landmark 301, a Conroe project expected to begin construction in early 2024. She said the rising need for senior communities in Montgomery County is seen by Landmark 301 receiving state funds. Engstrom said after reviewing market studies regarding renovating the hospital site, Overland found a need for a 55-and-older living community.
“If there wasn’t a demand [for 55-plus living communities], then we wouldn’t have been allocated funds,” Engstrom said. “The state scores you on such detailed criteria, there really isn’t room to end up with a product that isn’t needed or beneficial.”
Aging population
According to five-year ACS estimates, the number of residents age 55 and older in Conroe-area ZIP codes rose 40.2% to 35,394 residents from 2016-21, and Montgomery-area ZIP codes saw 6.8% growth to 16,538 residents age 55 and older over in that time.However, Shannan Reid, director of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, said in an interview that demographic studies from the chamber show the median age has fallen. American Community Survey five-year estimates show within Montgomery ISD boundaries, the median age dropped from 46.3 years in 2016 to 44.3 years in 2021. Despite this, Reid said she believes the growing population of seniors is from residents moving to Montgomery decades ago.
"Historically speaking, many of the lakefront communities, especially on the west side of Lake Conroe, were designed as retirement communities originally in the ‘70s and early ‘80s,” Reid said. “So even though we are adding a wealth of amenities for our seniors, they’ve always been here. ... [Seniors] were already existing; we just needed matching amenities for their lifestyle.”
Harper said he agrees, but he believes the senior living trend reflects more individuals moving from the East and West coasts as well.
Jo Miller, a four-year resident of Conroe senior-living community Woodhaven Village, said she was born in the Conroe area but frequently moved growing up. Miller said she returned to Conroe to be closer to her children, and she joined Woodhaven Village with her husband David to have extra help taking care of him until his death two years ago.
"As [David’s health] began to decline, I realized that I was going to need some help,” Miller said. “And I think the beauty of this facility is its graduated living arrangements. You can go from independent, to assisted and in his case memory care.”
Demand for active-adult communities
With the growing number of seniors, representatives with senior living communities in the Conroe and Montgomery areas said they have seen demand for additional senior housing as well.
Carroll-Malec said the Bonterra community has seen a trend of out-of-state buyers as well as most buyers purchasing to be close to family also residing in Woodforest.
According to Carroll-Malec, there are fewer than 25 homes out of 715 left to sell in Bonterra, which she expects will be sold out by fall 2023.
“There is definitely a demand for buyers that are retired or are basically looking for more from a clubhouse than a pool,” Carroll-Malec said.
Sales Director for Woodhaven Village Shawna Dodd said since 2018, Woodhaven Village has maintained 97%-100% occupancy. She said the community has a waitlist for assisted-living and memory care residents as well.
“We take a lot of pride in being friendly competitors,” Dodd said. “Sometimes, especially if we are full, and I’m working with someone, and they have an immediate need, we will refer out.”
Jennifer Symons, vice president of marketing with Caldwell Cos., and Vice President of Digital Marketing Lindsey McConathy said through their years of developing 55-plus communities within the Greater Houston area, they have found out-of-state interest as well as interest from surrounding areas of Conroe, such as Spring and Cypress.
Caldwell opened Chambers Creek in Willis on Nov. 12, which is an active-adult community for residents age 55 and older with activities such as an on-site vineyard, a golf course and direct access to Lake Conroe. Chambers Creek will have 3,000 homes once completed.
Symons said Caldwell’s research showed residents were looking for an option where they could have their own space but stay close to children and grandchildren. McConathy said individuals from as far as California and New York attended the grand opening to learn more.
“We had over 1,000 attendees at our grand opening,” Symons said.
Coming soon
More senior living communities are in the works for Conroe and Montgomery.
Landmark 301 at 301 S. First St., Conroe, is being renovated to a senior living facility that is expected to have 47 units ranging from studio style to one- and two- bedrooms. According to Engstrom, construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2023.
According to previous Community Impact reporting, The Lofts at Pine Market, a 51-unit senior living complex, is also under construction in Woodforest. The Lofts will be for residents age 55 and older with units becoming available next summer, according to a Dec. 6 email from a representative of the development.
Another development coming to the area is The Lakes at Woodhaven Village, which broke ground Oct. 5, an expansion to the existing Woodhaven Village senior living community. Expected to open in spring 2024, Dodd said the Lakes will be a 55-plus active-adult community with 115 apartments featuring one- and two-bedroom options.
“[Conroe and Montgomery] is where people moved in the ’80s to retire,” Dodd said. “Basically we are wanting to embrace and encompass their home but kind of relieve them from day-to-day obligations.”
