BY PATRICIA ORTIZ
The need
Looking ahead
55+ population
Roanoke’s 55-and-older population has grown over the years, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Residents eligible to live at Watermere, or those over the age of 55, make up more than 19% of Roanoke’s overall population, according to the ve-year 2023 American Community Survey, which is used to collect demographic data on people and housing in the United States. Virginia Lowe, a senior living at the Watermere location in North Richland Hills, moved from Tennessee to be closer to family in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Lowe said she was seeking a place to spend the rest of her life when she chose her apartment. “I wanted to make my own decision. … The time was right, and I totally believe that we [seniors] know when the time is right to make our choice to move,” Lowe said.
Under 54 population
55+ population
Sprinkle said Watermere on Oak is under construction on an uneven piece of land with about 40 feet of a slope. “That’s one of our specialties; nding places where a normal developer wouldn’t even consider because of the investment that would have to go into it,” he said. The location is comparable to Watermere’s North Richland Hills location. Craig Hulse, the director of economic development at North Richland Hills, said Watermere’s construction made the area more attractive for other businesses to develop nearby. “[Watermere] took a very di cult- to-develop site and they made it attractive for stimulating development around it,” Hulse said. Sprinkle said a detention pond will be constructed to assist with controlling runo and ooding, and will eventually bring in wildlife like sh and turtles. “These ponds help reduce the immediate impact of rainfall to prevent ash ooding and damages to properties and infrastructure,” Roanoke Public Works Director Shawn Wilkinson said. Construction is expected to take two years to complete.
Roanoke (2013)
Roanoke (2023)
17.2%
19.2%
1,912 8,035
Tarrant County (2013) 1,074 5,178
Tarrant County (2023)
19.6%
23.5%
362,291 1,486,132
502,307 1,633,436
SOURCE: U.S CENSUS BUREAU COMMUNITY IMPACT
Measuring the impact
Senior housing community occupancy from Q3 2025
The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care is a Maryland-based nonpro t that seeks objective insights into market data for senior housing. Head of Research and Analytics Lisa McCracken said Tarrant County already has a high demand, and the percentage of 75-year-olds is projected to grow by nearly 30% in the county over the next ve years. The Dallas area also has seen a need for more senior housing. According to the NIC, the Dallas metro ranks fourth in the nation for senior housing investment through the rst three quarters of 2025.
Occupied
Vacant
11.3%
9.5%
90.5%
88.7%
National rates
Tarrant County rates
Development snapshot
SOURCE: NATIONAL INVESTMENT CENTER FOR SENIORS HOUSING AND CARE COMMUNITY IMPACT
April 2025: development approved by Roanoke City Council
November 2025: groundbreaking
Next steps
Mid-2027: expected completion of 208 apartment-style units Early 2027: expected completion of 14 single- story villa units Summer 2026: foundation and infrastructure to be completed for 8-lot subdivision and 30-lot subdivision to be handed o to a homebuilder
access plans, Josef Sprinkle with Integrated Real Estate Group said. The city of Roanoke also commissioned a study last year to assess the needs of its re department as the city grows. Economic Development Man- ager Siale Langi said the study will take new devel- opments like Watermere on Oak into account. “Fire services are involved in the plan review process to understand the number of buildings, layout of the development, building accessibility and occupancy that could assist in an emergency response,” Langi said.
While the site plan for Watermere on Oak was passed by Roanoke o cials in April, the developer and city sta are still working on an agreement about access points for emergency personnel. Roanoke Fire Chief Chris Addington asked for an access point o Lois Street when the develop- ment was approved, per previous reporting. The development currently has three access points. Addington said that without the fourth access point, the re department could face complica- tions getting to the facility, and response times might increase. There are currently no nalized
SOURCE: INTEGRATED REAL ESTATE GROUP COMMUNITY IMPACT
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KELLER ROANOKE NORTHEAST FORT WORTH EDITION
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