`ACTIVE LIFESTYLE' (!)
Highland 55 at Spring Creek model home opens in Edmond
Highland 55 is alive, complete with exclamation point!
As an “active lifestyle” community, that's what Highland 55 at Spring Creek is all about, developer David Forrest said, and the just-opened model home at 1117 S Bryant Ave. has him and his business partners working to get the word out: “Lifestyle!”
The model is one of an eventual 72 rental units in 36 luxury duplex cottages offered for rent to the booming 55-and-over demographic. The neighborhood is on the west side of Bryant, north of E 15th Street, across from Pelican Bay Aquatics Center and Hafer Park.
“In this housing segment, you almost can't use the word `lifestyle' too much because what we are trying to achieve, and what many of our residents are looking for, is a lifestyle that frees them from the hassles of homeownership,” said Forrest, lead partner in the project with Chris Franklin, Cliff Cabaness and Rhone Bird. “Our amenities facilitate a sense of community while promoting mental and physical wellness. Our location promotes convenience. It's all about lifestyle!”
The neighborhood is gated, pet friendly and features a clubhouse, co-working space, fitness center, pickleball court and a tornado shelter.
The homes range in size from 999 square feet to 1,594 square feet. They have 9-foot ceilings, no-step entries, attached garages, open floor plans, “beautifully designed kitchens and baths,” security by SimpliSafe, full-size appliances, and come with Cox internet and cable. The model is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays by appointment.
It all got Cathy Beatty's attention. She's one of the first residents. Beatty, 68, has a home to sell in Florida but has settled in here to be near family.
“I was walking in Hafer Park one day in late December and saw a sign that said `Coming Soon! Over-55 community.' I thought, `That's just what I need,'” she said. “I'm just delighted. I just love it here. I love the bungalow look.”
Simple, hassle free
Forrest, 58, was a multifamily property broker for nearly 30 years. Market research conducted along the way drew him to the 55-plus segment — market rate, luxury — for its growth potential as boomers continue to gray.
“When I retired from CBRE, wanting to be involved in multifamily investment but not doing what everyone else was doing, this was the perfect fit,” he said. “There is very little of this age-restricted, 55-plus, luxury rental housing in Oklahoma. Due to current lifestyle trends and the aging of baby boomers
there is a real need. In fact, `active adult' is one of the fastest growing multifamily segments nationally for a reason: 10,000 baby boomers age into this category nationally every day.”
Forrest outlined the lifestyle boomers are after.
“Simple, hassle free
— we do all of the maintenance, inside and out,” he said. “Convenient: Our location is close to grocery, retail, restaurants, hospitals, churches, pharmacies, banking. Close to relatives. Some of our residents want to simplify and live close to relatives; being located in the heart of Edmond facilitates this.
“And wellness — a large great room in the clubhouse, large outdoor patio, a coworking space/conference room, and a fitness facility with indoor pickleball, exercise equipment, yoga studio, pet parks, community garden, and of course our Highland Healthy Initiative to promote mental and physical wellness.”
For boomers, it's a matter of deciding on whether and how to “rightsize” their home, said Kathy Matthews, Highland 55 marketing director. She explained in a blog post at www.highland55.com.
“Rightsizing is simply the process of moving from what you have to what you need,” she wrote. “For some, that may mean moving to a smaller home, but in a more holistic approach, rightsizing becomes a process of looking beyond the size of one's home. Consider all aspects of your lifestyle from how you spend your time, life's greatest treasure, to how you currently spend your money.
“When you put pen to paper, you might be surprised to learn how many hours you typically spend maintaining your current home. Ask yourself if that time might be more enjoyable spent doing something you love to do. Do you have a hobby, or would you like to travel? Are there family members that would relish a little more time with you?
“Next, examine your budget, especially the expenses of maintenance, repairs, insurance, and property taxes. Perhaps those are dollars that could be put to work in a different area.”
Highland 55 at Spring Creek should be finished by November, Forrest said. The architecture firm was Bockus Payne. Tall Grass Construction is the general contractor. Financing was by Central Bank of Oklahoma.
The developers plan other Highland 55 communities. Highland 55 at Broken Arrow will break ground in the next 60 days, Forrest said.