Empty nesters flocking to inner city

National trend toward urban living is resettling downtown

By PAULA WOLF

LANCASTER, Pa – Jane Phillips is a grandmother five times over, but you won’t find her living at Homestead Village or Willow Valley.

The retired president of Family Service is perfectly content in her East Frederick Street row house in Lancaster.

“I consciously chose the city because of its diversity,” said Phillips, who moved here from Hawaii. “I love all the different ages and the families around me,” she said.

She also loves Lancaster’s walkability.

“I walk all over,” Phillips said, whether it’s to Central Market, to neighborhood stores, or to the outdoor track at Franklin & Marshall College.

Phillips is part of a growing national trend increasingly evident in Lancaster — older baby boomers, empty nesters and retirees choosing urban living because of the amenities and atmosphere.

Tired of being dependent on cars, many are leaving suburban sprawl for the attractions of living in a traditional neighborhood.

Some are buying older homes. And others are helping create the demand that Lancaster developers are finding for upscale condominiums and apartments. (more…)