Goucher College and Edenwald Senior Living recently announced plans for the first university retirement community (URC) in Maryland, combining lifelong learning and programming from a college with the residences, services, and amenities of a life plan community, all on a shared campus. Goucher will offer educational and cultural activities for all current and new Edenwald residents, including the ability to participate in international study abroad programs, audit Goucher College classes, and collaborate in a cooperative community garden. Edenwald residents will also have access to other amenities on the Goucher College campus, including use of the library and attending performing arts events.

The new Edenwald senior living development will feature three towers including a total of 127 one- and two-bedroom apartments with open-concept floor plans ranging from 1,300 to 1,800 square feet and an under-building parking deck. Apartments will include oversized windows, full gourmet kitchens, stainless steel appliances, and balconies, while the overall development will include rooftop decks,  landscaped commons, and a café. Residents will also have access to multiple classrooms and lecture spaces included in the property, as well as full access to Edenwald’s pool and fitness center, and other amenities.

The new buildings will be directly connected to Edenwald’s campus via an enclosed walkway. Programming will be piloted with current residents in the 2024-2025 academic year and will expand to a host of services in time for the new URC facility’s debut, which has not yet been determined.

Goucher faculty will develop new co-generational classes that will be integrated into the undergraduate curriculum. These courses will span a range of topics and disciplines, with the first piloted in the Spring 2025 semester. Additionally, co-generational engagement will extend to co-curricular and community engagement, including the development of a cooperative community garden on Goucher’s campus that will offer Edenwald residents the opportunity to participate in student-led activities in the garden.