For all the Baby Boomers out there who feel the conflicting mix of emotions that comes with weathering half a century, a new housing development here might be the antidote — that is, if it doesn’t sell out.
Belcaro, a gated community restricted to the 55-plus age group, offers a combination of retirement community and campus.
The developer expects residents will be more likely to have a Harley Davidson club than a bingo club, but still will be free of the annoyances of normal suburbia, such as noisy teenagers.
“The 55-plus market is the most underserved market in the nation,” said Tom Zanic, vice president of New Urban West, the Santa Monica-based developer behind Belcaro. “All the retirement planning concepts are totally obsolete when it comes to (Baby) Boomers.
“We want to blur the line between home and resort.”
Belcaro, which eventually will be composed of 275 new homes, takes up about 50 acres along San Francisquito Creek in northern Valencia.
It is the first in a series of 55-and-over Belcaro developments being planned for Southern California by New Urban West.
“There’s a huge, pent-up demand for this type of housing statewide,” Zanic said.
The centerpiece of Belcaro is a country club called Grove House that will offer activities from throwing pots to lifting weights.
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Also included in the amenities are a 25-meter pool, a library, gym, a vegetable garden, a wireless Internet computer lab, an art studio, a basketball court, tennis courts, a juice bar and several original art displays.
Since the first of the new homes went on the market earlier this month, 42 of 53 have sold. Belcaro’s list of potential buyers is 1,700 people.
The houses range in prices from $425,000 to $550,000, depending on the floor plan. In future models, prices will reach as high as $1 million.
Toni and Jay DelDotto, both in their early 60s, were among the first buyers in Belcaro. They are proof that Zanic’s theory of booming demand for a new type of retirement housing is in full effect.
The DelDottos live in nearby Stevenson Ranch, a community they love but have outgrown.
“I don’t want to be around kids, or take care of my back yard, and right now we don’t have a lot in common with our neighbors,” said Jay DelDotto while he and Toni surveyed interior design upgrades for their new home.
“It’s just a great environment for active people. We aren’t ready for the wheelchair yet,” said Toni. “What more can you ask for? It’s just absolutely beautiful here.”
The DelDottos, and the rest of the first wave of buyers, will move into Belcaro in May.
And according to experts, Belcaro could be the start of a new trend as affluent Boomers retire.
“This is going to be a very attractive market. But the Baby Boomers aren’t like our grandparents. They’re healthier and more engaged, and a development like this makes a lot of sense,” said Jack Kyser, who is chief economist for the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp.
A second Belcaro development is being planned in Simi Valley, scheduled to break ground in 2005.