By Kristin Janeiro
At the groundbreaking celebration for Goodwin House Seminary Road on October 7, 2026, Goodwin Living President and CEO Rob Liebreich invited guests to raise their hands as he recognized the many people who had helped bring this new campus to life. From future residents and current team members to board trustees, local officials and organizational partners, an entire community is coming together to create this place of welcome and belonging.
By the time Rob finished, everyone had raised a hand.
“Every one of you is part of this moment, and we are grateful,” he told the crowd.
Among those gathered were George and Peggy Ward, future residents whose connection to Goodwin Living dates back more than 50 years, and Adrienne Wyman, the first team member hired for Goodwin House Seminary Road. Both the Wards and Adrienne shared their stories during the celebration that marked the beginning of construction on the new $360 million Life Plan Community in Alexandria, Virginia.
With all 257 residences already reserved, the groundbreaking brought Goodwin House Seminary Road another step closer to welcoming its first residents in 2029.
Goodwin Living’s Roots in Alexandria
The property on which Goodwin House Seminary Road (GHSR) will sit has a long history of supporting older adults. In the 1950s, local benefactor Benjamin Smith donated land to faith-based organizations on the condition that they would develop retirement communities. Situated on seven acres of that land, The Hermitage of Northern Virginia opened in 1961 and established a tradition of service that continues today. Now known as The View Alexandria (a Goodwin Senior Living Campus), it will share its seven acres with GHSR. Together, these campuses will carry that legacy forward while creating new opportunities for older adults to live and thrive in Alexandria.
“We are here where our roots are,” said Goodwin Living Board Chair Dr. Cyrillene “C.C.” Clark. “Goodwin Living is rooted in Alexandria, and particularly in the West End.”
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins joined the celebration alongside City Council members Sandy Marks and Abdel Elnoubi, as well as Stephanie Landrum, President and CEO of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership. In her remarks, Mayor Gaskins spoke about the city’s commitment to helping older adults remain independent and connected to their community.
“When I think about the words in our Age Friendly Plan, it talks about being a city where every older adult can age independently, where they can be connected, and where they can have new opportunities to live with dignity,” Gaskins said. “This project is the very embodiment of that plan. It is that plan coming to life.”
Meeting a Growing Need for Senior Living
The groundbreaking came at a time when demand for senior housing continues to outpace new construction nationwide. According to a September 2026 report from Senior Housing News, demand has exceeded the number of new units being built by more than three to one over the past four years. With the U.S. Census Bureau projecting that nearly one in four Americans will be 65 or older by 2060, communities like Goodwin House Seminary Road will play an increasingly important role in expanding housing and care options for older adults.
“We are beyond excited to grow our Goodwin Living community at a time of unprecedented older adult population growth in our region,” said Liebreich. “People want to be in a trusted community where they get a chance to thrive, and that is what we are building with Goodwin House Seminary Road.”
Goodwin House Seminary Road will add 257 residences and will offer independent living, assisted living, dementia support and skilled nursing. Together with The View Alexandria on the same seven-acre property, the combined space will provide a total of 382 residences. Plans for GHSR also include an urban arboretum, garden terraces, rooftop green spaces and art studios, offering residents opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and spend time with neighbors.
In collaboration with the City of Alexandria, the project will offer seven one-bedroom residences at reduced rates for income-qualified older adults. Clark Construction, the project’s general contractor, will lead construction, which is expected to create more than 1,200 jobs. Approximately 150 permanent positions are anticipated once the community opens.
A New Adventure, More Than 50 Years in the Making
When future GHSR residents George and Peggy Ward took to the podium at the groundbreaking, they shared a connection to Goodwin Living that began more than five decades ago.
In 1972, when the couple returned from a U.S. Foreign Service assignment in Germany, they settled in an apartment that happened to overlook Goodwin House Alexandria (GHA). Located immediately across the street from what was then The Hermitage, GHA was another campus made possible by the generosity of Benjamin Smith. Finding themselves surrounded by vibrant senior living campuses, the Wards would joke about eventually making their way into one. Little did they know they would go on to choose Goodwin House Seminary Road as their future home.
George and Peggy went on to spend much of their lives traveling the world through the Foreign Service, including George’s service as U.S. Ambassador to Namibia. But Northern Virginia remained home, and when they began considering retirement communities, they knew they wanted to stay close to family, friends and their church. Just as important was finding a community where they could continue building relationships. The Goodwin Living mission and the trust Goodwin Living develops in its team members ultimately helped the Wards make their decision.
“We’ve enjoyed many exciting adventures throughout our lives, so we thought, why quit now?” George told the crowd. “Why not become part of an ambitious new venture that promises to redefine what senior living means?”
Growing Alongside Goodwin Living
For Adrienne Wyman, helping bring Goodwin House Seminary Road to life is the latest step in a Goodwin Living career that began with an art exhibition nearly a decade ago.
Adrienne first connected with Goodwin Living in 2017, when she was invited to exhibit her paintings and teach an art class at Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads (GHBC). She went on to join the GHBC Life Enrichment team as an art coordinator and quickly took an interest in growing her career at Goodwin Living. She enrolled in employee leadership development programs and eventually transitioned to a role as a sales counselor. And when a position opened at Goodwin House Seminary Road, she was eager to be part of building something new and became GHSR’s first team member.
“It has been a joy to be part of this small and mighty team,” Adrienne shared. “We have grown from one to five [team members] and support one another like family. We are so excited to celebrate today and look forward to seeing more residents join the Goodwin Living family in 2029.”
For both the Wards and Adrienne, the groundbreaking offered a glimpse of what lies ahead. George and Peggy are preparing for their next adventure as future residents, while Adrienne and her colleagues are helping prepare the community to welcome them.
Looking Ahead to 2029
The celebration culminated in the ceremonial turning of the soil as Goodwin Living leaders, future residents, Alexandria city officials and representatives from Clark Construction and other project partners picked up their shovels to mark the beginning of construction.
For George and Peggy Ward, it was another step toward the home and community they have chosen for their next adventure. For Adrienne Wyman and her colleagues, it was an opportunity to celebrate the work already underway and the residents they look forward to welcoming.
Construction will continue over the next few years, with Goodwin House Seminary Road expected to welcome its first residents in 2029. Until then, we look forward to sharing the progress and celebrating the newest addition to the Goodwin Living family of senior living campuses.
Learn more about Goodwin House Seminary Road and follow its progress at GoodwinHouseSeminaryRoad.org.
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Kristin Janeiro is the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at Goodwin Living, where she supports operations, social media and storytelling efforts across the organization. Originally from Northern Virginia, she is passionate about sharing the people and purpose behind Goodwin Living. Beyond the keyboard, Kristin is probably perfecting a new recipe, negotiating for couch space with her dogs or diving into her latest book.
