Benchmark Senior Living and National Development Acquire East Islip Property for New Senior Living Community

Benchmark at East Islip expands Benchmark Senior Living's growing presence in New York

Waltham & Newton, Mass - Benchmark Senior Living, a leading senior living provider in the Northeast, and National Development, a prominent real estate investment, development and management firm, today announced the acquisition and financing of a property in East Islip, NY, on Long Island's South Shore. 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.

Located approximately 45 miles east of Manhattan, the East Islip site sits at the center of town activity, adjacent to retail shops, restaurants, and a post office. 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.

Benchmark operates 70 independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities throughout New England and in the Mid-Atlantic. "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 Tom Grape, founder, chairman and CEO of Benchmark Senior Living. "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, 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."

About Benchmark Senior Living

Benchmark is New England's largest senior living provider with 70 independent living, assisted living, memory care and continuing care communities and more than 7,200 dedicated associates providing compassionate care and outstanding experiences throughout the Northeast. The Waltham, Mass.-based company was founded in 1997 by Tom Grape with the purpose of transforming lives through human connection. Since then, Benchmark has continued to set the industry standard, having won more than 300 local, regional and national awards for its care, programs and as a top workplace. Benchmark has been named one of the Top Places to Work for 18 straight years in The Boston Globe's annual employee-based survey and received repeated recognition in FORTUNE's Best Workplaces for Aging Services list. In 2026, Benchmark communities received 60 U.S. News & World Report Best of Senior Living excellence awards based on resident and family feedback. For more information, visit benchmarkseniorliving.com.

About National Development

National Development is a vertically integrated real estate investment, development and management company. One of Boston's leading firms for over 40 years, it invests throughout the Northeast, helping to shape communities across the region through a legacy of transformative properties. The firm has earned a reputation for delivering long-term value by thoughtfully navigating complexity through the creativity and deep experience of its team. National Development has developed and/or acquired more than 40 million square feet across a diverse range of property types and manages over $6 billion of assets through a series of fully discretionary real estate investment funds. For more information visit natdev.com.