Friday, Apr. 1, 2005

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Developer sets sights on ‘active senior’ subdivision

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

A developer pitching “active senior adult” communities has its eyes on Peachtree City and Fayette County.

Levitt and Sons, responsible for similar developments in Florida, doesn’t yet have any land under contract locally and is not in official talks, but Peachtree City and Fayette are tops on the company’s list, said Dan Grosswald, vice president of the company’s Atlanta division.

The type of “community’ Levitt and Sons want to bring here could have, say, 700 homes but would have a large amount of amenities, Grosswald said. One Levitt development in Florida has a 28,000 sq. ft. clubhouse with an auditorium for special events, a dance floor, indoor and outdoor pools, a fully-staffed workout room and a teaching kitchen for cooking classes, he noted.

“It’s very much like a cruise ship, just on the ground,” Grossman said.

People in their 50s and 60s “are not old and decrepit,” Grossman noted, adding that the reason the company is interested in Peachtree City and Fayette County is due to its “existing physical and social infrastructure.”

Plus, Fayette County is far enough away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Atlanta to attract those wanting to escape the hectic city lifestyle, Grosswald noted.