History & Timeline
- In 1979 the Virginia Operations Council was established to plan for a United Church Homes and Services facility in Eastern Virginia Association of the UCC Southern Conference.
- 1983 - An 84 acre tract of land was purchased in Franklin, Virginia, through the fund - raising efforts of the Virginia Operations Council.
- A feasibility study conducted by J. O. Baker Company of Atlanta Geogia revealed that the Franklin site was not suitable for the proposed retirement community as was first thought.
- Howell Associates, Inc., of Washington, D.C., conducted a second feasibility study and suggested that a site for a total life retirement community of United Church Homes and Services would be best located in the Suffolk, Virginia area.
- 1990 - A 172-acre site was purchased in Suffolk, Virginia, and a master plan developed by Freeman-White Architects of Charlotte, NC. The decision was made by the Board of Directors to put the Franklin site on the market to be sold.
- 1997 - Work with the City of Suffolk and Hampton Roads officials on water and sewer issues as well as easement, right of way and other utility challenges.
- Both water and sewer lines laid in front of the Lake Prince Woods property on Kings Fork Road.
- The Master Site Plan was revised by the architectural firms of Shriver-Holland in Norfolk, Virginia, and the Freeman-White firm of Charlotte, NC.
- A Lake Prince Woods Information Office was opened in Suffolk in August of 1997 and marketing efforts began.
- Construction began on Lake Prince Woods in July of 2000.
- Lake Prince Woods welcomed its first residents in July of 2002
- Originally Lake Prince Center, the name was changed to Lake Prince Woods in 2004 to better reflect its quality, warmth and sense of community. Likewise, our corporation changed its name from United Church Retirement Homes, Inc. to United Church Homes and Services, Inc.
- Lake Prince Woods - phase 2 construction of Cottages and Villas began in 2007.
