Discovery Forms New Management Company, 2 Brands to Operate 19 Former Eclipse Properties

Discovery Senior Living is taking on 19 former Elmcroft communities operated by soon-to-close Eclipse Senior Living, and creating a new management company along with two new regional brands.

As part of taking on management of the communities, Discovery is turning its TerraBella regional brand name into a regionally focused, wholly owned subsidiary senior housing management company focused on the Carolinas and Georgia called TerraBella Senior Living. The management company’s division president is Dave Adams, who worked in an executive advisory role focusing on the integration of new acquisitions. In his new role, Adams will oversee the TerraBella division’s leadership teams with help from Discovery’s corporate headquarters.

Of the communities changing hands, 13 will become TerraBella communities. Discovery also created two new regional brands called SummerHouse and Seaton. SummerHouse initially will include three communities and focus on Alabama, while the Seaton brand will start with two Mid-Atlantic communities.

Discovery’s other regional management company, Morada Senior Living, is on board to operate one other former Eclipse community in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

With the formation of Morada earlier this year, Discovery embarked on a strategy to “scale, not fail” by creating regional brands with a high level of autonomy, but supported by the corporate apparatus.

Bonita Springs, Florida-based Discovery operates more than 90 communities throughout the U.S. The 19 former Eclipse properties are owned by Chicago-based real estate investment trust Ventas (NYSE: VTR). 

“This is an exciting milestone for our organization, and an expansion of our partnership with one of the pre-eminent owners of seniors housing assets in our industry which very much aligns with our strategy of achieving growth by operating both national and regionally-focused brands,” said Discovery CEO Richard Hutchinson.

Discovery is among multiple operators engaged in taking over former Eclipse properties. The list also includes Sagora Senior Living, which is taking over management of a dozen middle-market senior living communities once operated by Eclipse Senior Living in nine states.