EXHIBIT 99
 
Wednesday January 7, 12:32 pm Eastern Time

Company Press Release

Atria Acquires Additional Facilities In Texas

Transaction Expands Geographic Presence In Southwest

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 1998--Atria Communities, Inc. 
(Nasdaq/NM:ATRC-news) today announced that it has reached an agreement to 
acquire five healthcare facilities in Texas. The transaction, valued at $31.7 
million, is expected to close by February 1, 1998. The facilities include the 
Briarcliff Village complex in Tyler, Texas that encompasses a 62-unit assisted 
living community, a 100-unit independent living community and a 242-bed nursing 
center. The other two facilities are the Village at Copeland, a 72-unit assisted
living center also located in Tyler, and the Chandler Health Care Center, a 
90-bed nursing center in nearby Chandler, Texas.

"Although our strategic plan remains firmly focused on developing and operating
assisted living communities, this transaction represented an attractive
opportunity to accelerate our presence in this region of Texas," remarked W.
Patrick Mulloy II, Atria's president and chief executive officer. "We have four
assisted living communities under development in the metropolitan area of
Dallas. We also are currently operating one assisted living community in Houston
and have three other communities under development there. The facilities in
Tyler and Chandler match well geographically with the units under development."

Atria, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is a leading national provider of assisted
and independent living services for the elderly. Including these newly acquired
facilities, the Company currently operates 46 communities in 19 states with a
resident capacity of 4,736 units, including 2,407 assisted living units, 1,997
independent living units and 332 skilled nursing beds. Atria has 44 additional
communities currently under development.



- --------------------------
Contact:
     
     Atria Communities Inc., Louisville
     J. Timothy Wesley, 502/596-7178