Benchmark Senior Living, a senior living operator of 70 independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities throughout New England and in the Mid-Atlantic, and National Development, a real estate investment, development and management firm, announced the acquisition and financing of a property in East Islip. The site will be developed into Benchmark at East Islip, a 90-unit assisted living and memory care community.
The community, expected to open in 2028, will be Benchmark and National Development’s second community together in New York, both on Long Island. The companies have been partners in Whisper Woods of Smithtown since 2024. Separately, Benchmark operates two other assisted living communities in New York — Benchmark at Mount Pleasant in Thornwood and Orchard Estate of Woodbury, also on Long Island.
Construction is scheduled to begin next month on the two-story, approximately 88,000-square-foot community, which will offer 64 assisted living apartments and 26 memory care apartments, with a total of 104 licensed beds. The community will feature sophisticated apartment finishes and a broad range of amenities, including multiple dining venues, a comfortable theater, a modern fitness center, an on-site salon, and beautifully landscaped outdoor spaces. As a tribute to East Islip Lanes, which previously occupied the site, interior design elements of the community will take inspiration from the bowling alley.
“This acquisition marks another important milestone in Benchmark’s strategic growth in New York and reflects the strength of our ongoing partnership with National Development,” said Benchmark Senior Living Founder/Chairman/CEO Tom Grape. “As demand for high-quality senior living continues to grow across Long Island, Benchmark at East Islip represents an exciting opportunity to bring our personalized approach to assisted living and memory care to more seniors and families. We are proud to invest in the future of this community and look forward to welcoming residents in the years ahead to a community built on meaningful human connections, exceptional care and an enhanced quality of life.”
National Development is a long-time industry leader in senior housing, having successfully developed and invested in more than 40 communities throughout the Northeast. National Development’s senior housing portfolio includes a variety of living options, including independent living, assisted living and memory care. With properties spanning the Boston-to-New York corridor, the firm has been recognized as an industry leader, and its properties have produced several national awards for best senior housing design.
“We are excited to bring a new senior living community to East Islip and deliver a high-quality assisted living and memory care residence for Long Island seniors and their families,” said Andrew Gallinaro, the chief investment officer of National Development. “We are proud to continue our partnership with Benchmark on a thoughtfully designed community that will offer seniors and their families an exceptional new option.”