Linda Vila Passione wants to go out in style and have peace of mind as she ages.
In her opinion, The Ormsby, a yet-to-be-constructed mixed-use retirement community in Fort Mitchell, will be the best place for her to do that.
“I’ve been hearing about aging in place and my final years and this is a good thing,” Vila Passione said during a groundbreaking ceremony for the development. “Aging in place has different mindsets; I want to go out in style, and that’s what The Ormsby is for.”
The Ormsby will be constructed at the former site of the Drawbridge Inn in Fort Mitchell. The dual-use hotel and convention center closed in 2012 after 42 years in operation. After the building’s demolition in 2014, Fort Mitchell community leaders sought to revamp the baron land with a new project that could bring economic vitality to the city.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Greenbriar Development, a Dallas-based senior housing developer, and Bellevue-based real estate developer Brandicorp LLC are working together on the project. Architecture firm Perkins Eastman is in charge of the building design. St. Elizabeth formed a not-for-profit corporation to own and operate the retirement community.
On Friday, representatives from the City of Fort Mitchell, Kenton County, Kentucky General Assembly, Greenbriar Development, Brandicorp and St. Elizabeth Healthcare held a groundbreaking to commemorate the start of construction for The Ormsby.
“As the anchor of this development, The Ormsby, named after General Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel, whom this city is named after, will redefine retirement living and care, not only for Fort Mitchell but the entire region,” Mayor Jude Hehman said. “It will stand as a model for the future of senior care.
The Ormsby, which features 203 modern residences, is open to those aged 62 or older. Residents will have access to catered living, memory care, skilled nursing, a 400,000-square-foot parking garage, smart home technology, and communal gathering spaces.
The development will encompass nearly 25 acres of land along Buttermilk Pike, Grace Court, and Royal Drive, which is set to be demolished and then reconstructed into a new roadway that offers better connectivity. In addition to the primary residences, it will boast other commercial buildings, including an office building and restaurants.
Mike Brady, president of Brandicorp, said the firm plans to announce specific restaurants and other businesses opening at the development in the coming months. Residents are anticipated to be able to move in by 2026.
“We partnered on this project many, many years ago because we recognized the incredible potential that this land had to be a gateway for the great city of Fort Mitchell,” Brandy said. “We’re expressly excited to have The Ormsby kicking off this development and setting a strong foundation for the rest of the project.”
