Lawrence developer Jes Santaularia is shown in the commons area in Bella Sera, a high-end condominium project in west Lawrence. A demand for empty-nest living is attracting new real estate development to the area.

When longtime Lawrence residents Larry and Suzanne Sherr looked to downsize from their larger home – to give them fewer headaches when they travel – they found a perfect fit at Bella Sera condominiums.

“We’re incredibly lucky that when we were ready to move someone was developing a property like this,” they recently wrote in a joint e-mail during one of their travel excursions. “Our condo is the perfect size for us, customized for our needs, and the onsite amenities, including the wonderful fitness center, are a bonus.”

Bella Sera, 4830 Bob Billings Parkway, opened this spring, becoming the second major luxury condominium project to open in Lawrence in the past two years. The other is Hobbs-Taylor Lofts, 730 N.H.

Jes Santaularia, founder of Diversified Concepts LLC and one of Bella Sera’s developers, knew there was a significant movement toward no-maintenance, turn-key luxury living.

“People traveled abroad to find it,” Santaularia said. “I decided to bring it here. Many of our owners are former Lawrence residents who wanted a place to return to. It’s the second or third home for some of them.”

Condos at Bella Sera start at $350,000 and range to $900,000. Buyers can customize their units – which include two, three or four bedrooms or a penthouse – beyond the basic packages. The Mediterranean architectural style with its coffered ceilings, open floor plans and use of natural materials like granite, marble, wood, limestone and glass, nudges buyers toward creating muted, elegant interiors.

Bella Sera will eventually be a $45 million project, having three separate buildings with 99 units. The Barcelona building (named after Santaularia’s grandfather, who emigrated from Barcelona to New York in 1932) is the only one built, and it’s in the final stages of interior completion. The Genoa and Monaco buildings will begin when the Barcelona is fully sold.

“We’ve sold 33 percent, with several contracts pending,” Santaularia said.

He takes particular pride in the spacious communal living room, which opens onto extensive terraces, with landscaped grounds and a swimming pool near the McGrew Nature Preserve. It has a fully equipped kitchen so people can truly downsize, have privacy in their condo and still entertain larger groups. The area has plush, comfortable furniture, and prints purchased in Barcelona markets adorn the walls.

The ground floor contains all the amenities needed for entertainment or business. There’s a large home theater, gym, sauna and steam rooms, a spa, library, several guest suites, a conference room with full office facilities and secretarial services when required.

Meanwhile, the $15 million Hobbs-Taylor Lofts continue to appeal to those who enjoy edgy urban architecture and downtown living.

All of the lofts have been sold, with prices starting at $250,000 and ranging to around $1 million. Retail space on the ground floor of the lofts remains largely empty.

Bo Harris, CEO of Harris Construction, said the philosophy of the lofts wasn’t to create high-end dwellings.

“I didn’t plan an upper-end of the market project,” he said. “Buyers drove prices up with their choice of interior conversions. Some bought two units and extended their basic packages beyond what I’d envisaged.”

Among those who found a home at the lofts are empty-nesters Rud and Ann Turnbull, who’d lived in the Alvamar area for nearly 30 years before moving.

“We needed to decide whether to plan for the end part of our lives, or to embrace and celebrate living the new phase we found ourselves in,” Ann Turnbull said.

They choose the latter but have made their place wheelchair accessible for easier mobility if needed down the road. The ceilings in the double unit have been lowered to cover the exposed concrete and pipes.

The Turnbulls used bright, bold colors and a combination of old and new styles in spectacular and elegant fashion.

“It’s been a wonderful adventure for us, and we’ve been able to engage all of our senses in a new way,” Ann said.