What would it be like for a Baby Boomer to return to a college campus not to visit their kids or grandkids, but to live there, as part of a retirement community?
That intriguing question is expected to have its first answers in a year or more, when Broadview-Senior Living at Purchase College— billed as a “one-of-a-kind, groundbreaking” retirement community for seniors 62 years and older — is scheduled to open on the campus of SUNY Purchase, under the management of senior living specialist LCS Development.
The Broadview community will comprise 220 homes: 46 two-bedroom villas (with attached two-car garages) and 174 one-and two-bedroom apartments (with underground assigned parking).
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“A lot about our community is appealing, but there are two primary reasons,” states LCS Development Vice President Todd Shaw. “One is our focus on intergenerational living and lifelong learning, and the other is our location on a beautiful site in Westchester County.”
Shaw says Broadview’s campus setting is fully ADA-compliant. “However, our residents are fully independent, healthy, active, and do not need special arrangements,” he is quick to add.
Broadview’s inaugural class of residents, called Charter Members, already are taking advantage of many educational opportunities at the college. For example, over the past year, Purchase faculty led weekly book club sessions attended by close to 100 Charter Members. Out of 180 Charter Members signed to date, half are current Westchester residents.
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One of them is Tarrytown resident Scott Walsh, 69, who says he looks forward to living at Broadview.
“I consider myself a lifelong learner,” he says, “and its close affiliation with SUNY Purchase, including its on-campus location, was a major Broadview selling point for me,” he says.
Walsh is confident that both the residents and students will interact well with each other. “By facilitating daily interaction among students, faculty, and seniors, Broadview’s on-campus presence will certainly help to reduce any potential issues and increase understanding between the generations,” emphasizes Walsh.
Walsh has explored other senior communities, but the opportunity at Broadview to attend on-campus events, audit classes, and interact with students, faculty, and like-minded seniors on a daily basis sealed the deal for him.
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Broadview Charter Members include educators, medical professionals, business leaders, and artists. Many reportedly are interested in pursuing faculty positions at the college.
Shaw says the residents will have access to both academic and entertainment opportunities at the college, as well as the chance to get to know, mentor, and learn from the students on campus.
“Our residents are excited about being around the students — it is the number one reason that they have chosen Broadview,” states Shaw. “We have been very active in outreach to the students and faculty at Purchase, and I feel there is real excitement about this intergenerational opportunity.”
- broadviewseniorliving.org/
