Nestled in the lush pines of Wilmington, North Carolina, The Davis Community had a vision to remake their aging community with seniors as the new center of Porter’s Neck Village. To do this, Davis leadership knew they would have to reset the entry with a fresh new look that would relate to newer beach community architecture and create a destination level amenity package that would attract not only residents but their families and neighbors. The vision of being a new community center was also the core of their business and social model. One of the key drivers of this vision is “The Promenade,” a Wellness & Community Center connecting the cottages, IL building, and open green spaces. This outreach approach allowed Davis to provide multiple additional dining venues, a full-services spa and salon, an event center, an amphitheater, and a comprehensive fitness program with a gym, Olympic-sized pool, and individual PT rooms. Opened summer of 2023, The Promenade already boasts 1,200 members, with weddings and concerts in the planning stages for 2024.
The main entrance of The Residences is where new and current residents are greeted by an open, welcoming space that leads to common space living rooms, The Club Room, The Dining Room and Bar, and the apartment units.
During the day, a gracious window frames the back of the lobby reconnecting residents to the light and natural beauty of the outdoors. After sunset, lights sparkle against the night sky and, if you read them right, you will see a Sinatra Melody often played in the Piano lounge around the corner.
To the right of the lobby is The Social Center. With a magazine and newspaper rack, bar-height workspace, and tables, this space acts as a go-to breakfast and work area for residents, much like a café. It also links to Cascade and The Cocktail Club, the restaurant and bar for IL residents.
Part of The Promenade, Cornelia’s is an upscale Southern restaurant, providing old-fashioned favorites and lighter, modern fare. Name after Champ Davis’ mother, Cornelia’s is open to the surrounding community, integrating the neighborhood with the residents. Cornelia’s bar provides a stunning sophisticated backdrop to the rest of the restaurant with sleek dark finishes accented by rich gold tiles and comfortable leather stools. Looking through the window of Cornelia’s you can see the amphitheater and imagine dining while listening to a concert.
The Cocktail Club is a full-service bar, just outside of Cascade, residents and guests can grab a beverage before or after dinner. The bar acts as a social hub, also linking to the outdoor courtyards is just at the base of one of the many elevators to resident units.
The Cascade is an elegant location to enjoy lunch, and dinner. Just off this main “Courtyard” dining room are two private dining rooms and the “Chef’s” dining room.
While many existing senior communities find it hard to transition to allowing outside users into their amenities, The Davis Community took the new Community Center as their chance to do something different. This outreach approach allowed Davis to provide multiple additional dining venues, a full-service spa and salon, an event center, an amphitheater, and a comprehensive fitness program with a gym, Olympic-sized pool, and individual physical therapy (PT) rooms. Opened in the summer of 2023, The Promenade already boasts 1,200 members, with weddings and concerts in the planning stages for 2024.
To serve different resident preferences and accommodate varying mobility levels there are two living options for IL residents: Cottages and “The Residences” Apartments.
The 32 cottages line the northwest side of the campus. With two different layouts, each cottage has a front and back yard, a driveway and garage, and their own street for ease of access. The cottages made the most of a challenging narrow area of the site with “mini-neighborhoods” with beach house charm, open floorplans, and refined finished while still being accessible and adjacent to the rest of the campus. They were fully pre-leased before opening.
With four stories, 141 units, and 11 different one and two-bedroom options, each apartment within The Residences has an open floor plan, spacious main room and patio or balcony. The units have top-quality appliances, flooring and finishes and feature modern kitchens with space for multiple chefs. Maintenance-free and comfortable, The Residences are located in a prominent location in the community with a variety of amenities within them.