What’s envisioned is a small independent living community of 30 to 50 homes for devotees who’d like to focus on spiritual growth in their retirement years, participating in frequent group meditations and services, enjoying fellowship, and being of service to each other and the community.
Such a community could be modeled after the very successful SRF Song of the Morning Ranch in Michigan where devotees build homes on leased lots, however given the much smaller community that’s envisioned for Prescott, lots will be purchased. Plans would include a centrally located chapel and common kitchen/dining facility. (Pictured above is a unique design called the Lotus Dome which might be very cost-effective.) Amenities such as work-out room, pool (endless swim?), tennis/sports court, etc. will be determined by the will of the majority. Additionally, land could be set aside for a future assisted living facility, which could be built by a corporation specializing in SNF care.
The foundation’s initial subscription must be sufficient to buy the land, subdivide it, provide utilites and build the chapel and common facilities. It’s possible that Mother Center might help finance the chapel, as was done for the New York Center.
There are a number of suitably large parcels on the market in Prescott and surrounding area, and it’s a buyer’s market nowadays. Property with zoning for site-built and modular or factory-built would be very desirable in order to accommodate a wide range of budgets. All in all, timing couldn’t be better for starting a retirement community and structuring it would be fairly simple as it’s already been done successfully.
Comments and suggestions are most welcome! Please let me know if you’re interested in the idea and broad strokes outlined here. Once the level of interest is determined, we’ll research specific possibilities and generate figures.
In Divine Friendship,
Chris Ashley - cashley@commspeed.net
U.S. News and World Report and Money Magazine name Prescott one of the best places to Retire!
Best Places to Retire Prescott, Arizona - US News and World Report.mht
These towns have it all: top-notch health care, loads of culture, lots of green space - and everything else the most desirable places in America have. Except high taxes. (more)
Here is another beautiful possibility for a chapel, that could be economically built from one structural panel—an equilateral triangle. It’s derived from the Lobel Frame.
