Gig Harbor Celebrates The Launch of $180 Million Senior Community, Heron's Key

Smack-dab in the middle of Gig Harbor North, Heron's Key will offer its senior residents high-quality living, on-site care, plenty of amenities and easy access to area stores.

Those are a few of the reasons why the $180 million, senior-living campus from Redmond-based Emerald Communities will be one of the most eagerly anticipated construction projects on the Peninsula over the next few years. It's scheduled to open in 2017.

On Wednesday, officials celebrated the launch of the future senior community at Emerald Communities' sales office. It sits about a mile away from where Heron's Key will be located - 17.4 acres south of Borgen Boulevard, between Harbor Hill Drive and Peacock Hill Avenue.

Heron's Key will offer 170 independent living apartments, 10 duplex-style cottages, 12 assisted living suites, and 45 skilled nursing private rooms.

The company even unveiled the community's logo on Wednesday: a blue-tinted heron flying. Part of the celebration was intended for the logo's official unveiling, but the company unintentionally lost some of its thunder.

"It was supposed to be a surprise tonight, but the sign company showed up and put the signs up earlier, so, surprise!" joked Lisa Hardy, president and CEO of Emerald Communities.

And the company says Heron's Key will be more than just a senior home. It will be the Harbor's only full-service continuing care retirement community, allowing residents to pay a one-time entrance fee and monthly fees to secure a spot in Heron's Key for the rest of their lives. That includes assisted living, skilled nursing and memory support.

It will feature walkable green space and a host of additional services and amenities, such as restaurant-style dining, a fitness center, wellness programs, and social, cultural and educational opportunities. The community will be within walking distance of the Gig Harbor YMCA, as well as near the Harbor Hill retail center which includes Costco, Target and a growing number of stores and restaurants.

Mayor Chuck Hunter, as well City Planning Director Tom Dolan, both expressed how excited they were about the project, which is expected to house more than 300 residents and 100 staff.

Heron’s Key is currently accepting deposits as part of its “priority program.”  Members submit a $1,000 refundable deposit to be among the first to select their future home from more than 10 different floor plans available later this year. For more information, click here.

Check back later for Patch's video coverage of the event.