Issaquah Senior Living Project Breaks Ground: What It May Mean for Eastside Families

A new senior living project has officially broken ground in Issaquah, according to a June 10 press release from PMB and The Springs Living. For families, this matters because new communities can eventually mean more care options, more apartment availability, and in some cases less pressure on waitlists. But this particular project is still years away from opening, so it is more of a future supply story than an immediate solution.

What happened

PMB and The Springs Living said they have started construction on The Springs Living at Issaquah Highlands, a five-story senior living community next to Swedish Issaquah Medical Center and near Gateway Park. The companies said the building will include 225 residences across three levels of care: 114 independent living apartments, 84 assisted living apartments, and 27 memory care apartments.

According to the release, this will be The Springs Living's first community in the Seattle area and its 24th overall. The companies expect the project to open in late 2028. They also said the building is intended to offer a "full continuum of care," meaning some residents may be able to move from more independent living into assisted living or memory care without leaving the broader community.

The announcement was a groundbreaking release, not an operating update. That means the main confirmed news is that construction is beginning. The release did not include pricing, deposit requirements, staffing ratios, license status, Medicaid participation, or details on how care services will actually be delivered once the community opens.

What this may mean for families

If your family is planning for care on the Eastside, the biggest takeaway is simple: more units are coming, but not soon. Adding 84 assisted living apartments and 27 memory care apartments could eventually give families in Issaquah, Sammamish, Bellevue, and nearby communities another option to compare. In markets where choices are limited, even one sizable new building can help widen the menu of available care.

That said, families should not assume a future opening will automatically mean lower prices. Newer communities often open at the higher end of the market, especially when they are large, amenity-rich, and near major medical centers. If your family is trying to understand how assisted living is usually paid for, these guides on how to pay for assisted living, whether Medicare pays for assisted living, and whether Medicaid may help with assisted living costs can help frame the right questions early.

The project may also be useful for families looking for a place that offers multiple care levels in one location. That setup can matter if a parent is fairly independent today but may need more help later. Before joining any interest list, families should still ask detailed questions about what assisted living actually covers, how memory care is separated or secured, and when a resident might need to move to a different part of the building. It helps to review the basics of what assisted living actually includes and the differences in assisted living versus memory care before touring or placing a deposit.

What to keep in mind

This information comes from a company press release, so it should be read as an early project description, not a full consumer guide. Groundbreakings do not guarantee an exact opening date, and construction schedules can shift. A late-2028 opening is still a long way off for families making decisions now.

Just as important, a new building's marketing language does not tell you how good the care will be. Families will eventually need to look at state licensing records, staffing practices, resident agreements, fees, and move-out terms. When the project gets closer to opening, ask for the community's base rate sheet, care fee structure, staffing model by shift, and policy on level-of-care increases. A practical checklist like questions to ask on an assisted living tour or a guide on how to compare assisted living communities can help families avoid getting distracted by a new building's appearance alone.

Bigger picture: why new supply matters

Across many markets, senior housing development slowed in recent years because of higher construction costs, financing challenges, and labor pressures. That is one reason new openings can matter: they may help ease future scarcity, especially in higher-demand suburban areas near hospitals and established neighborhoods. The Issaquah project also reflects a wider trend of placing senior living near healthcare services, which can be appealing to families managing chronic conditions, mobility needs, or memory-related care.

Still, one project does not solve broader affordability problems. Families who need care sooner may need to keep comparing current options, watch for waitlists, and think through backup plans. If you are still at the stage of deciding whether a move makes sense, our guides on signs it may be time for assisted living and preparing for an assisted living move may be more immediately useful than this construction update.