New York and Dallas, April 17, 2025 – Fortress Investment Group today announced that funds managed by its affiliates (“Fortress”) have acquired The Village at Gainesville, one of USA’s largest retirement rental communities, and the country’s largest mixed-acuity retirement rental community.
“We are thrilled to acquire The Village at Gainesville, the premiere retirement community in Gainesville, Florida. The community fits with our investment strategy of acquiring well-run, high-quality senior housing communities, and investing in them to ensure they are positioned to meet the upcoming demand from the baby boomer generation,” said Pete Stone, Managing Director at Fortress. “The Village at Gainesville is unique for its scale and the range of lifestyles and services it offers, and we’re pleased to bring a committed investment plan and our retirement community expertise to the property.”
The Village at Gainesville offers a range of retirement lifestyles across a neighborhood of 45 cottages and nine additional residential buildings – six independent-living, one assisted-living and two memory-care. Two central amenity buildings offer dining, fitness, on-site healthcare and other services. Recreational activities and cultural events take place across the community’s more than 100 acres of natural beauty, which features conservation wetlands, and native tall pines and live oaks.
The community has a strong reputation and is in high demand with an 80+ person wait-list to become a resident.
Fortress is acquiring the community from Sante Fe Healthcare, which has owned and managed The Village at Gainesville for over 30 years, overseeing three major development phases from 1986 through 2009.
“Our initial investment plans include a comprehensive renovation of the community’s oldest building, the Lake House, from plumbing to appliances and décor. We’re also planning improvements to the memory care residences, and community-wide upgrades to the on-site amenities and facilities,” continued Pete Stone. “With 639 residences, The Village at Gainesville is home to a thriving community of Floridians who are supported by a talented and experienced team of more than 300 employees. We’re looking forward to working with these residents and team members, and with the broader Gainesville community, to make this one of the premier retirement communities in the country.”
“Throughout almost 40 years of operations, The Village at Gainesville has always prioritized a vibrant, supportive community for our residents, and I am confident that this new ownership model will bring tremendous additional benefits,” said Rebecca Catalanotto, Executive Director of The Village at Gainesville. “Fortress brings extensive experience and resources in retirement rental communities and with their support we are exceptionally well-positioned to enhance our services and facilities with the goal of ensuring that our residents and community continue to thrive for many decades to come."
Gainesville is renowned for its high-quality healthcare systems. The Village at Gainesville is conveniently located close to Interstate 75, approximately five miles from the University of Florida – which has attained national leadership for its transformative, cutting-edge medical research – and 11 miles from Gainesville Regional Airport.
The US Census Bureau estimates that about 10% of the US population will be 75 or older by 2030, up from about 6% in 2016 – a rate of growth more than 10x the estimated growth in the overall US population – driving increasing demand for retirement community living. At the same time, development of new communities has hit the lowest level since 2014, according to the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care. Including The Village at Gainesville, Fortress currently owns 16 properties across the USA which offer a variety of retirement lifestyles.
About Fortress Investment Group
Fortress Investment Group LLC is a leading, highly diversified global investment manager. Founded in 1998, Fortress manages $50 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2024, on behalf of approximately 2,000 institutional clients and private investors worldwide across a range of credit and real estate, private equity and permanent capital investment strategies. For more information, please visit www.fortress.com.
AUM refers to assets Fortress manages, including capital that Fortress has the right to call from investors, or investors are otherwise required to contribute, pursuant to their capital commitments to various funds or managed accounts.
Contact
Mark Lane, mlane@fortress.com