Shown is the lobby at Army Residence Community in San Antonio. The Northeast Side retirement community has opened its doors to the general public.
Salgu Wissmath/Contributor
Residents of the Army Residence Community can design their own independent living apartments with the community’s in-house design team.
Army Residence Community
For the first time in its 39-year history, the Army Residence Community has opened its doors to the general public.
Seniors 62 years and older can now join the growing waitlist for Texas’ largest individually owned, single-site retirement community.
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“We have all been preparing for what has been called this ‘silver tsunami,’ or aging baby boomers, who are now either fully into their retirement years or just entering into them,” said Terry Jackson, ARC’s director of marketing. “There is a strong need for those seniors to have their needs met, both socially and physically, and more and more people are looking for a one-stop shop, like ours.”
ARC, located at 7400 Crestway Road on the Northeast Side of San Antonio, was founded in 1987 by a group of retired Army generals to serve senior career military officers. It later extended eligibility to all veterans and retired federal civil employees.
The latest expansion of the eligible resident base will help “make sure we’re sustainable and viable well into the future,” even as the number of veterans declines, CEO Steve Fuller said.
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Lifelong community
Many retirement communities are categorized based on the level of care they offer. ARC was built so residents could age in place. If one spouse needs extra assistance, a couple doesn’t have to move to another facility; they can access that care on the same campus.
“We have had a pretty dramatic increase in inquiries since the eligibility expansion, so I would say, ‘Jump in, the water’s fine,’” Fuller said. “We’ve asked residents to help pick their neighbors and family who weren’t previously eligible.”
The 138-acre campus features 450 apartments and cottages for independent living, 78 assisted living apartments and a 91-bed nursing unit. Currently, the community has about 750 residents and is about 90% occupied.
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Members pay an entrance deposit upon moving in, as well as a monthly service fee that covers a meal plan, access to activities and amenities and weekly housekeeping. Over the last 10 years, fees have increased about 4% annually on average.
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Fuller said ARC has an online retirement calculator that helps interested seniors calculate what type of housing they qualify for, and many use the proceeds from the sale of their former home for their deposit.
“The entrance deposit guarantees them a place for the rest of their lives, whether they need independent, assisted living or health care,” Jackson added. “When they would move on to those next levels of care, they have access to those at a significantly reduced rate.”
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Seniors in independent living can consult with the community’s in-house design studio to customize their space’s countertops, cabinets, flooring and other features so they can feel right at home.
ARC members range from 62 to 103 years old. The largest population of military members is Air Force retirees, but there are members from every military branch except the Space Force, which was established in 2019.
They’ve had Korea veterans, Vietnam veterans and World War II veterans, who bond over shared experiences. Every Friday, ARC residents and its 400 employees are encouraged to wear red in honor of military members who are currently deployed. They also have patriotic celebrations throughout the year, including for residents who have lost a loved one.
Residents have access to three dining venues, tennis and pickleball courts, fishing ponds, as well as a covered indoor pool, golf putting green, lakes, walking paths, community garden, fitness center, library, artist studio, chapel, hair salon, 100-seat movie theater, an on-site market and scheduled transportation. There are 100 resident-led clubs and organizations and 200 scheduled activities each month. Jackson said there’s 75% participation across the board.
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“With this expansion, we really wanted to position ourselves for the future, considering the changes in senior living,” Fuller added. “A lot of our residents moving in are much younger. They want that active lifestyle and don’t want to wait until they can’t enjoy the services and amenities. We’ve helped a lot of people start a new chapter in their lives, and we’ve coined a term called ‘senior youth.’”
The Army Residence Community features a 13-floor tower of independent living units.
Army Residence Community
Investing in the future
ARC recently completed a $40 million renovation, modernizing its 13-floor tower of independent living units with upgrades to its dining venues, auditorium, corridors and sky lounge and enhancing its lighting, safety and environmental finishes. They added a kitchen that allows residents to watch and even participate in the preparation of their meals. ARC also updated 50 of its apartments and cottages.
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“COVID was a really big trial, and during that time, we invested a lot in our capital budget to improve our infrastructure and make sure we were going to emerge in a really strong position,” Fuller said.
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ARC is a nonprofit, and Fuller said the community raises around $1 million every year to help strengthen its offerings. The move to expand who’s eligible is also part of its efforts to fortify the organization.
“We’re very aware of the changes in the military and veteran populations, including civil service,” Fuller said.
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The number of active-duty military members has fallen 64.1% from its peak during the Vietnam War in 1968, and military applicants hit a 40-year low in 2022, according to USAFacts.
The veteran population is also on a downward track, dropping from more than 26 million in 2000 to 18.3 million in 2023. In 1980, about 18% of the adult population was veterans, but that share fell to 6% in 2022. The decline is driven by the passing of older veterans and a smaller active-duty force. The number of veterans is projected to fall to 12.1 million by 2048, according to Pew Research.
“We wanted to do this (expand eligibility) while we’re in good shape after making that big investment,” Fuller said. “The board, the residents and staff were all aligned to serve a broader base of people who share our values at the ARC.”
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“I can’t believe how many times I’ve heard the phrase that we are the best-kept secret in town, and when people come, it pretty much sells itself,” Jackson added. “I’m looking forward to getting rid of our secret status and really opening up for the rest of the community to see.”