As baby boomers age, will they change the paradigm of older adult housing" For Sydney Weinberg, a 78-year-old living on her own in New York City, the idea of moving after retirement didn?t really make sense.
After all, unlike some of her peers, many of whom have relocated to warmer climates or assisted-care facilities, Weinberg has deep roots?she?s spent the last 60 years in Morningside Heights, a residential neighborhood in northwest Manhattan near Columbia University, raising her family.
She opened up about her life at the opening of the new community center for the Morningside Retirement & Health Services (MRHS), a sleek gathering and group-activity space for older residents, like Weinberg, who live in the adjacent Morningside Gardens co-op apartments, a complex of six high-rises. A former history professor with multiple degrees from Columbia, Weinberg is part of the neighborhood?s unique community of older adult residents, one designated a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community by the city.
Weinberg and her friends love their new community space. Designed by Hollwich Kushner Architects and Wagner Interior Design & Consulting, the airy gathering place?with its floor-to-ceiling wood paneling, light-filled interior, and bright green-and-yellow curtains?resembles a tech company's meeting space or a dorm's common room. The wraparound handrail built into the walls and non-slip, cushioned rubber flooring signify the interiors as a space designed for ol...