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t has all the hallmarks of an exclu-sive five-star resort with manicuredgrounds, gourmet dining, a chic dayspa and salon, state-of-the-art fitnesscenter, tranquil lakes teeming withwater fowl, concierge service, de-signer interiors, transportation serv-ices, close proximity to world-class

shopping, restaurants and golf. Homeowners receive attentive, but unobtrusive service—theirevery need accommodated with a single phonecall. They are surrounded by comfort, beauty andconvenience. But unlike a resort, they don’t haveto check out. They’re already home.

Exclusivity like this does come with one restriction. One member of the household mustbe at least 55-years-old to live here. Watermere isDallas/Fort Worth’s premiere, luxury, gated-entry,master-planned, active adult community.

“High style, great location—this equals anyneighborhood that they originally came from,”says Rick Simmons, one of the four foundingpartners of the Watermere development (alongwith his brother, Scott Simmons, Chuck Hammonds andCraig Spaulding). In many ways, moving to Water-mere is an upgrade from their previous home.

Watermere is a 37-acre campus made upof showcase condo homes, villas, a renownedclubhouse and an assisted living and memorycare residence. “The City of Southlake took astrong interest in us and in our vision of aunique 55-plus community,” says Chuck Ham-monds. “We made sure what we developed was timeless, that it followed the Southlake tradition.” What they have created is virtuallyunheard of in the marketplace—architecturallydistinctive homes with the amenities of a top-notch resort catering exclusively to active

adults, with one highly attractive benefit overmost retirement communities.——————————————————–Pride of OwnershipLarry Crosser and his wife Karen moved toSouthlake from the Des Moines area of Iowa.They had looked into a number of areas, butwere instantly impressed with what Watermerehas to offer. “We were sold on the fact that wewould own something,” says Crosser. Few sen-ior living communities in the country allow youto own your own real estate. Most are “buy-in”communities following a healthcare model inwhich residents put in hundreds of thousandsof dollars in rent and monthly service fees thatdon’t build equity.

“The general healthcare model guarantees

Tucked deep behind a stand of mature trees, Watermere emerges like a stately Hill Country retreat. You may drive right by it without a second’sthought, but that’s probably by design. Watermerefeels worlds away from the bustle of suburban life.

IPictured on these pages | (above large) The Condominium Residences. (above small) The Clubhouse Entrance. (on opposite pagetop) The “Travis” Entryway. (on opposite page below) La Mer Foyer.

Cover StoryA RT I C L E BY FR A N K GE S L A N IP H OTO S B Y BA L D U F PH OTO G R A P H Y

Life

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Watermere at Southlake of Leisure

[resident testimonial]

“Every morning I wake up and I feel like I’m onvacation. It’s like living in a spa retreat. No moreyard work. No more exterior maintenance. Nomore housekeeping. As far as the community here,it’s like that song on Cheers—everybody knowsyour name. We like to travel and it’s nice to havepeople that will look after your home. It really is alock-and-leave kind of place. It’s probably the bestinvestment in ourselves that we’ve ever made.”

– S A M F E A Z E L L –

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a nursing home if you need it in the future,” saysHammonds, “but not everyone will need anursing home.” Instead of putting moneydown for something they won’t own and payingfor the services they don’t need now, Water-mere residents pay for the services they selectand that work for how they presently live, allwhile being able to feel the satisfaction of own-ing their home.

A Watermere home is an asset that willbe a part of the owner’s estate and can be partof their children’s inheritance. In a healthcaremodel you pay higher service fees upfront, butultimately your estate will never see it. Homeownership at Watermere comes with the addedbenefits of being able to upgrade your home tofit your tastes, appreciation of your home, taxbenefits, and of course, that sense of independ-ence that only comes with ownership.——————————————————–Care-free LivingBetter still, Watermere residents can own theirhome without being saddled with the menialresponsibilities of ownership. A monthly service fee—$2,300 per individual, $2,625 percouple—ensures care-free living at its finest.

The days of mowing your own lawn and trim-ming your own hedges are over. Landscapingand lawn services are covered in the monthlyfee, as well as exterior home maintenance, win-dow washing and housekeeping. The fee evenpays your water and sewer bill, insurance onyour home (not including your personal contents),FiOS TV Prime cable television and highspeed internet. And more about the restaurant-style dining included in the fee later!

Homeowners can get round-the-clock assistance from Watermere’s dedicated staff. A concierge can arrange dinner reservationsand tee times. The staff will even check onhomes while the owners are on vacation or vis-iting family.

The point may be to downsize, but theresidences themselves abound with high-endcraftsmanship, stylish details and the latesttechnological conveniences. “Scott Simmons is in my mind the best custom builder in themarketplace,” says Rick Simmons. “He’s built million dollar estates and his work here has re-ally made a difference in the homes.”

Deluxe finishes include 10-foot ceilings,crown molding, granite countertops and cus-tom cabinetry, with many opportunities to up-grade or customize. EnergyStar appliances and

industry-leading heat and air systems provideenergy savings. Safety is taken strongly into account with emergency response systems,monitored security and fire sprinklers.

Villa homes are light and open with floorplans that offer 2,000 to 3,000 square-feet, upto three bedrooms, up to 3 bathrooms, andan attached two-car garage with automaticopeners. Condominium residences, rangingfrom 1,000 to 2,100 square-feet and up to threebedrooms, also come with the same attentionto detail as well as private balconies and avail-able ground floor parking. Homes range inprice from $185,000 to $675,000.——————————————————–

Membership has PrivilegesWatermere’s centerpiece is the members-onlyClubhouse, a plushly-appointed showpiece that isthe community’s main social artery. It is as beau-tiful as it is welcoming—soaring, wood-beamedceilings, multiple fireplaces, thoughtfully displayedobjets d’art fashioned from glass, ceramics, anddriftwood, stamped concrete, dark woods, charm-ing silk prints and chinoiserie.

It pulses with activity. Residents are knownto practically live in the Clubhouse’s state-of-the-

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art fitness center. If they’re not sweating it out on the elliptical machines or in yoga class,they are very likely in the indoor pool. “Wateraerobics is offered three times a week,” says executive director, Laurie Lilly. “Our home-owners are definitely more into fitness.”

There are also ample opportunities forrelaxation—massages in the Clubhouse spa,catching up on the news in the library or winetasting in the Stonebridge Lounge. The Club-house is a springboard to a wealth of recre-ational possibilities. Take your dog (pets arewelcome at Watermere) on a brisk walk throughmore than a mile of trails connecting parks andlakes. Hit the links at nearby Sky Creek RanchGolf Club, where residents pay no green feesand have unlimited use of the driving range.Serve up a morning of tennis or spend an after-noon with the grandkids at Watermere Park, thecommunity’s enchanting playground.

Southlake Town Square—with its diverseoffering of shops, restaurants and seasonal fes-tivals—is just minutes away. If you love sports,there is no better metropolitan area for specta-tors than Dallas/Fort Worth. The Cowboys,Rangers, Mavericks, Stars, FC Dallas andNASCAR at Texas Motor Speedway all attractlively crowds, and Watermere staff can arrange

excursions to see them all. DFW InternationalAirport, a scant 15-minute drive away, opens upa world of once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences.——————————————————–

“We’re not crazy aboutthe dictionary definition

of retirement,” says Lilly. “Wehave so much here to offerand our residents take full

advantage of them.”——————————————————–A Sense of CommunityStill, Larry Crosser appreciates that with every-thing available to him, he can do as much or as little as he wants. The former CEO of 40years, and admitted weekend warrior aroundhis former Iowa home, is happy to have noth-ing to do. That’s not to say he does nothing. He chairs the community’s advisory board. He golfs. His wife, Karen, plays bridge. “We goto happy hour, watch movies. We have an activity director. I’m always at the fitness cen-ter,” he says. “At least once a month, we go outto eat as a group.”

The question of what to eat for dinnerwas never a more delicious conundrum. Sev-

eral restaurants are an easy drive away, butgood eats are right within Watermere’s gates.The Clubhouse’s signature restaurant, La Mer,serves seasonal modern cuisine in an elegantsetting. Breakfast and other casual fare areserved up at River Bend Café. StonebridgeLounge offers a full-service bar with scheduledhappy hours. “We’ve got a great gourmetkitchen in our home, but we hardly ever cookin it,” admits Crosser.

Great food, flexibility, fun, friendly neigh-bors—it’s all part of what draws a growing number of people to the Watermere lifestyle.It has become its own unique village. “We lookout for one another,” says Crosser. “We’re likea big family. We can just sit down and join eachother at dinner. It’s very social.” As he says this,a couple who have moved in just two weeks be-fore walks by and greets him. Without missinga beat, Crosser asks about their grandkids withthe familiarity of a life-long friend. “When newresidents move in, they aren’t new very long,”he says. “They tend to get involved right away.”With neighbors like the Crossers to take themunder their wing, it’s an easy thing to do.

“Friends come in to look and want tobuy,” says Crosser. “They have lots of ques-tions, but honestly, the place sells itself.”

Watermere proves that some neighborhoods, like thepeople who live in it, really do get better with age.

Pictured on these pages (on opposite page) The Clubhouse Foyer. (this pageleft) The Indoor Pool. (thispage right) Aqua SpringsSalon and Spa.

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The Move of a Lifetime——————————————————–

Moving is a major decisionat any stage, but, fortunately,

Watermere offers sales assistanceto help make dreams a reality.

——————————————————–“We have recently started two new sales

programs to continue to offer the most flexibil-ity for potential buyers,” says Hammonds. Oneis a ‘home-trade’ program of someone’s cur-rent home for a new Watermere home. Theother is a Lease-to-Purchase option for thosewho may need or want to sell their currenthome before they can fully commit to purchas-ing. “We are trying to offer people the easiestway to transition from a home they may havelived in for the last 20 to 30 years into the Watermere community,” he says.

Family also plays a big role in decision-making. Many move to Watermere to be closer

to their kids and grandchildren. Other times,their children have driven by the Watermeresign and have popped in to sate their curiosity,only to be impressed by what they see.

“We get both parents and their adultchildren,” says Lilly, “but mostly it’s the actualparents who come in who are interested insimplifying, not owning huge homes. Some regard the fact that we have health servicesonsite as a plus if they are considering health-care needs in the future.”

“The kids think it’s great,” says LarryCrosser. “We really wanted to live here becauseof our kids. We wanted to make these decisionsso they wouldn’t have to.” Crosser is partly referring to the Isle at Watermere, a cutting-edge assisted-living and memory care residencethat is part of the Watermere complex. “Whenit was built, we were already many years aheadof the marketplace. Other facilities weren’t de-signed with memory care in mind. They’ve hadto add it on as needed. We built it in upfront,”says Hammonds. Having such a well-conceived

facility already onsite, should they need to transition there, provides residents and theirfamilies added peace of mind. ——————————————————–A Distinguished LegacyIt’s that kind of forward thinking that has allowedWatermere to weather the roughest days of theeconomic downturn. They’ve adapted to a volatilesales environment not to stay merely afloat, butto flourish, even grow. A new phase of the commu-nity is already moving ahead. In the works are patiohomes on detached lots that offer some of the sameservices with the potential to add more services, newvillas and new condo units. Another health servicesbuilding is also being added to the campus.

“Phase three will include many of the sametypes of product, but tweaked to what the marketdemands and what seems to be working the bestamong our current residents,” previews Ham-monds. Watermere proves that some neighbor-hoods, like the people who live in it, really do getbetter with age.

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Pictured on these pages | (above large) The“Pedernales” Bedroom. (above small) The “Whitney”Living Room. (on left small) The “Pedernales” Bathroom. (opposite page) The “Cisco” Kitchen.

............................................. For Villa andCondominium Residencescontact Iain Reekie or Judy Hillier (817) 748-4000.............................................www.watermere-at-southlake.com

SL[resident testimonial]

“We moved here two years ago when the Club-house opened. We actually got married here. Wehad a small private ceremony at home then dinnerat the clubhouse. Most people here were lookingto downsize. Before, I had to keep up with a largeyard, a pool, a pond, a very large area. Now,there’s not much to keep up at all. It’s an outstand-ing place to live. We enjoy the fellowship, friends,very good food, the pool, activities here and intown. No two days are the same.”

– H A N K S M Y T H –

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