Jackson County Aging Services Complex – Sylva, NC

Jackson County had purchased 25 acres of hilly property and asked Grant Tharp (while at previous employment) to master plan a new county services complex. Twelve agencies were affected and therefore participated in an extensive review and programming effort. The result is a site that has been developed and pre-graded for a new senior housing development, the Aging Services Complex designed by Cope Architecture, and a future EOC complex.

The Jackson County Aging Services Complex is a development that combines the Department on Aging, Senior Citizens Center, and Mobile Meals Kitchen. The Mobile Meals Kitchen shares functions with the Mountain Projects and is part of a grant from the State of North Carolina. The driving force behind the development of this center was the large distribution of the aging population in numerous locations and numerous outdated facilities. It was therefore an inconvenience for both staff and the citizens of Jackson County. The aging services complex offers consolidated services in a central location housed within a 45,000-SF state-of-the-art building. Components included: Dining for 300, large commercial kitchen, senior services offices, adult day care, adult fitness center, physical therapy, and a future Alzheimer’s wing.