Grove City, Columbus Add 240 Affordable Assisted Living Units

Chicago-based Evergreen Real Estate Group announced on August 27 that it broke ground on two affordable assisted living communities in the Columbus area — Green Oaks of Grove City and Green Oaks of Walnut Creek — each adding 120 units for seniors, including those eligible for Medicaid, with completion expected in fall or winter 2027.

Where the Two Communities Are Rising

Green Oaks of Grove City sits at 3000 Holt Road, about 10 miles south of downtown Columbus. Green Oaks of Walnut Creek is planned for 4000 Westerville Road on Columbus's northeast side. Each building will hold 67 studio apartments and 53 one-bedroom apartments, for 120 units per site, according to Fox 28 Columbus.

What OHFA Approved in March

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency's board approved financing for both projects on March 19, 2026, according to OHFA's own announcement. For Grove City, the agency authorized the developer to issue up to $35 million in Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds. For Walnut Creek, it authorized up to $39 million in bonds. Both developments also received a 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit reservation, a federal subsidy that lets developers charge rents below what the local market would otherwise support.

Who Will Live There

The apartments are reserved for seniors across a range of incomes, including residents who qualify for Medicaid, Fox 28 Columbus reported. Gardant Management Solutions, Evergreen's operating partner, will run both communities once they open. "Expanding senior living options in these areas of Ohio will have a positive and lasting impact both today and well into the future," said Steve Rappin, Evergreen's chief executive.

Not Evergreen's First Central Ohio Project

Evergreen already has one assisted living community under construction in the region: Green Oaks of Canal Winchester, a 120-unit building at 3631 Gender Road that broke ground earlier this year, according to REBusinessOnline. That project is expected to open in March 2027, with Gardant also set to operate it.

Inside the Walnut Creek Building

Plans for Green Oaks of Walnut Creek call for a four-story, 92,279-square-foot building, with a construction contract valued at $22 million, according to The Douglas Company, the Holland, Ohio-based contractor building it. The design includes a dining room, a fitness room, a salon, and outdoor patios meant for residents who need daily help but not full nursing care.

For more on Franklin County development activity, see CREN's coverage of Columbus development news and Grove City real estate.