Goshen project hopes to merge young and old generations

It was first reported by our partners at the Elkhart Truth, it's a project two years in the making and now it's almost finished. Blue diamond communities is trying to bridge the gap between generations both young and old.

Crews are finishing construction, but that's only the first phase. Phase  one is building new homes for the elderly and younger generations here at Maplewood Estates.

President of Blue Diamond Communities, Tonya Detweiler, says phase two is what the projects really about.

“When you’re no longer able to remain in your home, your medical condition gets to the point where you need more care, you can move down the street to a green house,” says Detweiler.

Since she was 14 years old, Tonya Detweiler has had this vision of creating a community where the young and old live together.

 “I was the kid who used to dream about how could we do elder care differently,” she added.

Now as president of Blue Diamond Communities, she’s doing just that.

With these new added green homes, elders will be able to remain in their neighborhood regardless of what type of care they need.

Esther Lanting, a woman who’s been living at Maplewood Estates for four months, said she moved because she wanted that sense of community.

"They shared their vision for an inter-generational place community and that's exactly what we wanted,” said Lanting.

Detweiler says the new Maplewood Estates green homes are nothing like retirement homes.

 “We are not a 55 and older community. We are intergenerational,” said Detweiler.

In fact, the green homes are a completely different and she’s already getting positive feedback.

“The idea of being able to stay around your neighborhood, in your neighborhood for the duration of life is resonating with people,” she stated.

Lanting says the new green homes and the inter-generation community, that the Blue Diamond Community offers, is making living richer. 

“If you stay just in your own age circle, your own demographic you don’t get the whole spectrum of what living is all about,” said Lanting

Applications are available for lots here at Maplewood Estates.  Detweiler said she sits down and thoroughly explains housing options for anyone interested in joining this community.

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