PHOTO BY MEGHAN ERKKINEN

A groundbreaking ceremony was held March 6 at the Stone Ridge Senior Living Community site. Speakers included Milton Mayor Katrina Asay, Federal Way Mayor Jack Dovey and King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer.

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Senior community breaks ground

By Meghan Erkkinen

MILTON – Members of the Milton and Federal Way communities welcomed the Stone Ridge Senior Living Community at a groundbreaking ceremony March 6.

The community, which is currently an empty site, will soon house independent and assisted living accommodations, as well as memory care. In total, there will be almost 400 living units, which will range from studio apartments to cottages.

Stone Ridge will also offer a variety of recreational opportunities with a library, billiards, a beauty shop, a theater and a mile of walking trails. The site even includes plans for a 1950s-style café.

The first phase of the project is scheduled for completion in spring 2009.

“The overall vision is to give an overall quality of life that is meaningful,” said Bob Couper, minor owner of the property. “It’s going to have an ambiance that brings them (tenants) back to yesteryear.”

Couper and owner Robert Lloyd have been working on developing the property for several years. Lloyd, who has owned the property for more than 20 years, decided now was the time to develop it.

“The area was ready for it and needed it,” Lloyd said.

“There’s a lot of pent-up demand,” Couper added.

According to community leaders, the senior living center will be an asset to the community as a whole.

“It will benefit all the seniors and make it a good place to live,” said Jim Manley, chair of the Milton Planning Commission. “It will benefit the community… Many of us who have parents further away can have them nearby.”

Mayor Katrina Asay, who spoke at the groundbreaking, felt similarly.

“I think it’ll be a great addition to the community in that our seniors have a way to stay in the community they live in, as well as bring in more seniors,” she said. “It’ll also have meeting rooms, which will make it…a great gathering place.”

According to Couper, one of the biggest assets of the community is its

panoramic view of Mt. Rainier.

Sunwest Management, Inc. will be managing the community, and units will be rented out on a month-to-month basis. Sunwest

operates more than 400 facilities in the United States.

For more information on the Stone Ridge Senior Living Community, visit www.stoneridgeslc.com.

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