Serenbe developer Steve Nygren is tying senior living to wellness, entertaining and multigenerational living in his community’s first residences created for 55-and-up buyers.
“As a baby boomer, I think we have to do it differently than when my parents’ generation aged,” Nygren said.
The 16 one-story cottages will be in Serenbe’s newest hamlet, called Mado, which is under construction and also will have residences and health and wellness activities for all ages. The 55-and-up cottages by Monte Hewett Homes will have one to two bedrooms and 900 to 1,400 square feet, with private courtyards. They’re priced from $425,000-$475,000.
Much of senior housing is built around fear, Nygren said. As Serenbe expands into 55-and-up residences and future amenities such as medical offices, memory care and assisted living, he’s asking: How can we build this around hope?
Serenbe also recognizes that although 55-and-up buyers might want to give up a larger home, they don’t want to sacrifice entertaining and having guests. The cottages will include an interesting amenity: ownership in the fully furnished Common House. The cottages will be arranged in a V-shape that meet at the Common House, which will offer two guest suites, a gourmet kitchen and entertaining spaces.
The Common House gives buyers the ability to continue to have guests and entertain in a larger home, without having to maintain it all the time, Nygren said. Lew Oliver, Rhinehart Pulliam & Co. and James Curran are the design team for the cottages and Common House at Mado.
The cottages also are being designed to accommodate aging in place features, such as connections for medical technology and telehealth systems that enable residents to receive care at home as they age.
North of Atlanta, Soleil Laurel Canyon (SoleilLaurelCanyon.com) in Canton plans to add more than 185 homesites and expand its clubhouse and other amenities.
A million-dollar-plus expansion of its amenities will create a two-story addition to the current 28,000-square-foot clubhouse that will feature a catering kitchen, dining area, meeting rooms, and views of the pool and lake. Soleil’s gardens and greenhouse will be moved and expanded, plus new parking with covered access will be constructed, according to the developers’ plan, which needed the city’s approval.
The original plan was a maximum of 765 homesites, which will be increased to 952 homes, under a plan by developer Active Lifestyle Communities. Current homes range from 1,418 square feet to 2,813 square feet and are priced from the mid $200,000s to high $300,000s.
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