New Senior Community Bringing Jobs to Crozet

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Updated: 7:09 PM Sep 21, 2011 New Senior Community Bringing Jobs to Crozet As construction continues on the Lodge at Old Trail, so does the anticipation. Not only of the residents moving in, but also the jobs it will create and potential boost for Crozet businesses. Posted: 5:52 PM Sep 21, 2011 Reporter: Chris Stover Email Address: chris.stover@newsplex.com

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September 21, 2011

As construction continues on the Lodge at Old Trail, so does the anticipation. Not only of the residents moving in, but also the jobs it will create.

The apartment community in Crozet's Old Trail Village was built with the busy, active senior in mind. It's more than a retirement community, it's a senior living community.

“A place to bring in seniors from outside the community and bring them right back into the middle of the community,” owner David Hilliard said of the decision to include the Lodge in the mixed-use, multi-generational Old Trail neighborhood. “I continue to strive to try and create opportunities for more than one generation to co-mingle.”

More than 150 seniors will soon move in to the 186,000-square foot building. But the project has also had some residual effects.

“With that thought by putting everything together, I did create 400 jobs,” Hilliard commented. “400 jobs over the length of the construction period, and that's not even counting the ancillary jobs it takes to service the people here.”

That service will bring another 67 full-time and 30 part-time employees to Old Trail; people to staff the restaurant, deli, library, hair salon and other features in the apartment building.

Meanwhile, established businesses in the Old Trail Village are interested to see how the Lodge will help their bottom line. Paul Wilkes, co-owner of Trailside Coffee, is hesitant to sing the praises of Hilliard and the Lodge just yet.

“The more people and amenities that are here the more business there will be. But who knows how long it takes to get those people in here, so there is a lag between what we see now and when those full effects will be felt,” he cautioned.

Hilliard hopes to see the Lodge at Old Trail open and the first residents move in by Spring 2012. Although, anyone interested in take a tour of the building won't have to wait until then. There will be an open house Thursday at 5pm.

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