McNair Interests has announced a new brand focused on developing intergenerational senior housing communities on or near university campuses.
The real estate investment and development company on Wednesday announced the launch of McNair Living, with a mission “to develop communities that encourage growth, engagement, and lifelong learning.”
At the forefront of the company’s multi-pronged strategy is a brand called Varcity. McNair plans to develop intergenerational residential communities on or near university campuses under the brand name, including with university tie-ins and logo rights.
“Varcity developments allow alumni and local lifelong learning lovers to make the university campus home again and re-engage in campus living through classes, sporting events and programmed mentoring opportunities for current students to tap into their wisdom,” a press release about the announcement reads.
Leading McNair Living are two senior living veterans, Ryan Haller and Les Strech.
Strech was until January 2022 the President of Atlanta-based thrive, a forward-thinking senior living operating company. Haller is the former chief development officer at Avamere and founder of its Ovation brand, which is now under the oversight of Avamere spinoff Arete Living.
McNair said it has inaugural projects scheduled to break ground next year on the campuses of a half-dozen Big Ten and SEC colleges, with another half dozen campuses planned by 2026.
The company is furthering its university commitment by actually headquartering the business on the campus of the University of Kentucky.
The Varcity idea is similar to the standard university-affiliated retirement community concept, but McNair is focusing not only on establishing loose ties with colleges or alumni associations, as has been the norm in recent years; but forging firm connections with communities on or near campuses.
The company is aimed at addressing a “fundamental shift” occurring with the incoming baby boomer demographic, who desire wellness, lifelong learning and active living.
“Varcity’s communities also engage a mutually beneficial relationship among their resident older adults, the university and the students by emphasizing how older adults’ life experience and knowledge can enlighten younger generations,” the announcement reads. “As well as the energy, comradery, and sense of purpose that students can bring to the Varcity residents.”
If the Varcity brand sounds familiar, that’s because it has been on Haller’s mind for a few years. In 2020 before joining McNair, he launched a company focused on breaking the senior living mold that also counted Varcity among its flagship brands.
The university-based senior living has gained momentum in recent years as senior living companies look to offer communities and services that the incoming baby boomer generation will want.
Haller believes that, in the future, colleges will look to bring more variety to their campuses in the form of rental senior living. And, he believes universities will not merely want to sponsor an alumni pizza party once a year — instead, they will look to integrate senior living into all walks of life, not just through programming.
And Haller has done his research. He spent the last two years visiting more than 60 of the 75 or so university-backed or based communities in the U.S.
“Senior living on college campuses attracts a very different client and a very different type of architect and a very different kind of building,” Haller told Senior Housing News last September.
Companies featured in this article:
