After 35 years in the Wichita crude oil industry, Bill Hougland had no trouble deciding where to retire. The Kansas University alumnus and former Jayhawk basketball player and his wife, Carolie, were moving back to Lawrence.

But it was more than Hougland’s ties to KU that drew him back.

“The opportunities in Lawrence are unlimited,” he said. “There’s a lot here to keep you young.”

As a university community, Lawrence is traditionally known for attracting a new flock of young people each fall. But, recently, national publications have named Lawrence as a hot spot for an older generation.

In the November 2002 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine, Lawrence was featured as one of three great places retirees can spend their golden years.

Population trends of the past decade show that retirees are taking notice of the publicity.

The number of Lawrence residents 65 and older increased by about 19 percent (from 6,662 to 8,270) during the 1990s, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures.

In Hougland’s case, the diversity and culture of a university town were key in bringing him back to Lawrence. He and his wife are avid KU sports fans; they also frequently attend events at the Lied Center, including all three of the Dole Lecture Series speakers last fall.

“The Lied Center is tremendous,” Hougland said, “They try to find something for everybody.”

Kansas University Alumnus BILL HOUGLAND selected to retire in Lawrence because the opportunities are

Moving in

As Lawrence expands westward, community developers and real estate agents are making accommodations for a growing demographic of retirees.

Developments of single-level, townhome neighborhoods are on the rise in Lawrence and are particularly popular with retirees, said Gary Nuzum, management broker with Coldwell Banker McGrew Real Estate in Lawrence.

“These people are looking for a convenient lifestyle,” Nuzum said. “So developers are setting aside ground for that market.”

Nuzum cited the Quail Point development, in the 4000 block of West 15th Street, and Sunflower Park townhomes, at 26th Street and Crossgate Drive, as other examples of developments where retirees were moving.

The trend toward developments for the retirement-aged population has accelerated with the aging of the Baby Boomer generation.

Developers at Teamone Real Estate are in the process of constructing homes northwest of 15th Street and Wakarusa Drive that they hope will be convenient for retirement-aged individuals.

While not designated as a retirement community, the development, called Ironwood at Alvamar, will have features that cater to retirees, said Dave Tacha, sales coordinator at Teamone.

“We’re certainly building with retirees in mind,” he said.

Features at Ironwood such as single-level living and a quiet neighborhood will be selling points for retirees, Tacha said.

Lawrence retirees also have more specialized options when moving here.

Rhonda Parks, executive director at the Lawrence Presbyterian Manor, said she, too, had noticed a trend in transplant retirees moving to Lawrence in recent years.

“We’re seeing increased referrals from people away from here,” Parks said. Several of the residents had mentioned the Kiplinger’s article after it was published, Parks said.

Administrators at the Lawrence Presbyterian Manor, 1429 Kasold Drive, said living organizations such as theirs made retiring in Lawrence an easy decision.

“We meet the needs of the whole person,” Parks said.

The retirement facility offers three levels of care for residents: independent living, assisted living and health care.

A facility like Presbyterian Manor appeals to retirees because of its varied levels of care and the on-site services it offers, such as a hair salon and a bank, Parks said.

“The world comes to them,” she said.

Steve Price, a resident at Presbyterian Manor, left a retirement community in Arkansas that was home to seven golf courses to move to Lawrence. While part of his decision to move here was being closer to his children, Price said he and his wife had been extremely happy with Lawrence.

“Lawrence has an attractive appeal when you drive through it,” Price said.

Price said that one of the greatest perks to living in Lawrence has been its medical facilities. Since retiring here two years ago, the couple has had to make four emergency trips to Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

“We thought the care was absolutely excellent,” he said.

New generation

In response to the increase of retirees in Lawrence, new organizations have been created to meet the leisure needs of golden-agers.

Hougland is one of about 200 participants in the New Generation Society of Lawrence, started in 1997. In partnership with the Hall Center for Humanities on the KU campus, the New Generation Society is a membership-based program that organizes outings and activities for Lawrence residents.

While membership is not limited to retirees, the society is better suited for retired individuals because most activities take place on weekdays, said Janet Crow, executive director of the Hall Center.

“It gives them a way to get involved in Lawrence,” Crow said. “They can get better acquainted with Lawrence and with KU.”

New Generation’s growth since its inception in 1997 has paralleled the retirement-age population growth in Lawrence, going from 80 members in 1997 to nearly 200 today.

Activities scheduled this spring for the New Generation Society include tours of KU’s Spencer Museum of Art, a trip to the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., and an overnight excursion to Fort Scott.

Nearly nine years after retiring to Lawrence, Hougland doesn’t regret moving here instead of a warmer retirement spot such as Arizona or Florida.

Lawrence’s short distance from the Kansas City International Airport was helpful in dealing with the icy chill of winters in the Midwest.

“If it gets too cold, you can just get out of here,” he said.