Oakmont developer returns to Wine Country

After building retirement communities across California, Washington and Nevada, Bill Gallaher returned to Sonoma County for his most ambitious project yet.

Varenna at Fountaingrove is the seventh senior complex built and owned by Oakmont Senior Living, the Santa Rosa company Gallaher founded in 2000.

Gallaher and his wife, Cindy, got into the business of operating residences for the growing senior population in 1997 when they established Aegis Living with partner Dwayne Clark.

Oakmont Senior Living has built most of the 30 retirement communities Aegis owns or manages.

Last year, Aegis managers bought out the Gallahers and the company's other partners. Clark remains chairman and chief executive, while Bill Gallaher stepped down as managing member.

Now Gallaher has more time for new retirement projects. Before concentrating on such communities, Gallaher spent two decades building houses in Sonoma County.

"I enjoy the designing, building and developing. There's a certain obligation of managing and overseeing of Aegis that took more time than I wanted to devote to it," he said.

Oakmont Senior Living plans projects on a similar scale with Varenna in Palm Desert, Granada Hills, and Redmond, Wash. The company also plans to break ground next year on Fountaingrove Lodge, a retirement community in Santa Rosa for gay men and women.

-- Michael Coit