Today, more than ever before, it’s not so much where we live that is important…it’s how we live. For many, Lifestyle trumps all other considerations in choosing a place to live.
And nowhere does this movement prevail more than for the pre-retirees and early retirees.
There are more options…more exciting lifestyle options…than at any point in the past. Some things have not changed; many want to retire from the icy north to the temperate climate the Triangle offers. Many still want to move to be near other family members,and few places see more of that than in the Triangle. But once those key decisions are made, the focus turns to lifestyle. You don’t just want to live…you want to LIVE! And living, in these terms, means having options to enjoy all the things you’ve put off doing throughout your hardest working years.
Theatre, museums, art classes, beach travel, mountain trips, crosscountry excursions, world exploration…the options are limitless. The wonderful thing about living in the Triangle is that all of these opportunities are figuratively at your doorstep. Catching a non-stop to London makes European travel a breeze. Having over 150 wineries within North Carolina borders makes a weekend junket a no-brainer.
But even beyond these excursions, today’s Boomer is looking for instant and constant gratification. The weekend jaunt to the beach is great, but what to do this afternoon.
This desire to have fun with active lifestyle options available on a daily basis has given rise to new housing options, fueled growth for certain traditional housing options, and lead to great changes in retail offerings. (See our Special Editorial Feature in this issue, Focus on Independent Living Communities.)
Lafayette Village is an excellent example. The developers decided they didn’t want to create a shopping environment; they wanted a destination village environment that included features that would make residents, especially residents, gravitate to the village on a daily basis. They wanted an environment that offered lifestyle enhancement to their guests.
Heading south on Falls of Neuse, just past 540, you can’t miss the 25-foot Eiffel Tower standing tall, directing you into Lafayette Village, a bit of France transported to the Triangle.
Parlor Blow Dry Bar in Lafayette Village has expert stylists poised to pamper you and primp your hair to perfection.
When Kenneth Burnham and his team
at KDM Development broke ground in 2007 on the Village’s six acres, residents in the area didn’t realize the breath of fresh air that was about to descend.
As North Raleigh’s only European-style village, this wonderful gem with its award-winning restaurants, upscale shopping, salons and more is exactly what the residents of North Raleigh (and beyond) have wanted and needed.
Here they find the convenience of secure underground parking as they enjoy patio dining and distinctive shopping along slate stone walkways with stucco exteriors and hanging flower baskets. There is something on the palate for everyone at Lafayette Village from wine tastings to North Carolina barbecue, from true Italian cuisine to sushi and even gourmet hot dogs!
Celebrations in the Village, like Bastille Day and Oktoberfest, are the special lagniappe that makes Lafayette Village even more exceptional. For a full directory and a calendar of upcoming events at Lafayette Village, please visit lafayettevillageraleigh.com.
The Lafayette Village environment offers a lifestyle that is increasingly sought after these days. Situated in North Raleigh which is heavily residential, there are already a number of nearby housing options for the boomer set. The ultimate housing option community, such as Springmoor, offers a CCRC living style with cottages and apartments which, in effect, is a resort lifestyle that helps allay many of the future health concerns that many may have. In a related category, Brookdale North Raleigh offers a Grand Hotel resort lifestyle, as an Independent Living community. Abbottswood at Stonehenge is another Independent Living Community, not far from Lafayette Village, that prides itself on its genteel characteristics.
Residents at these communities are right around the corner from the amenities Lafayette Village offers with the enhanced lifestyle that today’s boomers seek.