abouTliving

RETIREES BEING DRAWN TO B/CS
By REBECCA WATTS

The first baby boomer filed for social security in October last year, and in four years, the first wave of the 67-million post -WWII generation will reach retirement age. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) predicts that these retirees will revolutionize traditional retirement in the United States. Baby boomers retire earlier and stay active longer than their predecessors did. This has many communities scrambling to provide the resources that will draw retirees to their area. The cities of Bryan and College Station are tentatively exploring what programs and resources it would take to make the twin cities a retirement friendly community, while senior citizens and developers are taking more proactive steps to promote retirement and senior housing development and services in the area.

“We’re seeing more and more seniors and retirees moving to the area. I think our 2010 census will reflect the number of retirees in our community,” said Marci Rodgers, Senior Services Advisor for the City of College Station. Most of the seniors she encounters have moved to the area because they have children here or are Texas A&M University Alumni.

Bryan and College Station appeal to some seniors and retirees because of the central proximity to Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Director of College Station Economic Development David Gwin said, “We actually believe that we are very strategically placed to be a great draw for tourism and retirement type development. We have great access to a number of cultural amenities and we see a number of retirees come here just because it’s a great place.”

June Scott, a resident of Briar Meadows, the only age-restricted subdivision in the Brazos Valley with homes available, said her home has become a meeting place of sorts for her family because of Bryan’s geographic position.

“We are halfway between our two daughters. Our daughters, son in law, granddaughter and brother in law are Texas A&M Alumni, so we’ve spent a lot of time around this area since 1978. It’s become a gathering place for the family,” Scott said.

Scott and her husband retired from the Burnet school district after 30 years of service. They lived in Hilltop Lakes for eight years before moving to Bryan two years ago and have quickly made themselves at home. The couple chose Bryan because of the medical facilities and the benefits of living in Briar Meadows.

Because baby boomers are changing retirement standards, they are looking for alternative living opportunities. Some are finding a solution through age-restricted communities like Briar Meadows. Age-restricted subdivisions are typically developed close to major medical districts and are designed to provide retirees and seniors essentially a city within a city. Commercial development such as coffee shops, restaurants, theaters, shopping centers and libraries surround the community to provide residents outlets for social interaction and entertainment.

The Briar Meadows subdivision is located behind the Bryan post office and is currently in phase two of construction. The community is a combination of patio homes, single-family homes and age-restricted living, but 80% of the residents are required to be over the age of 55. There are currently 33 age-restricted lots and plans are underway to begin construction on single-story town homes to provide a variety of affordable housing. This area is already experiencing commercial development with the emergence of Target, Kroger and the Cotton Patch Café. Chief operating officer and project manger of Briar Meadows, Paul Leventis, said the City of Bryan has been very helpful in cultivating commercial interests as well as increasing the safety of the subdivision by providing solutions for traffic problems on William Joel Bryan Parkway. Further collaboration between Bryan and Briar Meadows includes the placement of a walking trail that spans the subdivision and ties into Camelot Park.

“We’re thoroughly enjoying living in the subdivision. It’s really just an outgoing community. We know just about everyone and it’s a lot quieter at night. We enjoy the students, you know, but we also all go to bed a little earlier than they do,” Scott said.

Bryan will also be the location for Gartenheim Ranch, an age-restricted development across from Miramont Golf Course that is currently in the engineering stage. Vivian Schroeder, designer and developer of Gartenheim Ranch, plans to create a 200-acre active adult age-restricted community that she hopes offers many amenities other areas don’t. “At this time, our plans are for a smaller, condensed community,” Schroeder said. “We’re tying to design ours so that retirees and seniors aren’t so dependent upon the automobile.” To accomplish this, Schroeder plans to work closely with commercial developers and provide an included senior center. Bryan residents will have the option of paying annual dues to become a member of the privately owned senior center.

Some Brazos Valley residents feel the return on providing seniors with resources and incentives far outweigh the cost of providing them. Scott, president of the Briar Meadows Homeowners Association, said, “We are becoming a very important tax base for the city. We’re steady income people providing a tax base.”

AARP studies have shown 80% of seniors and retirees intend to work well into their retirement due to financial and insurance concerns. Research by Dr. Mark Fagan, Head of the Department of Sociology and Social Work at the University of Jacksonville in Florida, shows that one senior citizen or retiree volunteering locally and spending disposable income, yet not drawing on resources such as the public school system, is the equivalent of three market jobs.

Incentives such as tax freezes and abatements have found support from local seniors and retirees, but not from local government. The College Station City Council has updated guidelines pertaining to retirement development, said Gwin, but these are not incentives and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
The November 2008 bond election in College Station included the request for bond monies to build a senior center. So far, the city has received favorable response about the center. It would include a meeting area, computer labs, health screenings and a fulltime staff as well as volunteers to assist in serving the growing number of retirees and seniors in College Station.

Rodgers said the Active Advantage Club, formerly Senior Friends, at College Station Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Gold Medallion Club facilitate and encourage social interaction among seniors. Ongoing senior resources in College Station include Bridge and 42 groups and educational opportunities, in addition to several special events organized primarily in the spring. “I recommend anyone new to this area enroll in these clubs. They are such a great way to meet people,” Mrs. Rodgers said.