Traditional living, with a slightly modern twist

TNDs are not for everyone, however. Mr. Burkett, the real estate broker, says this type of development doesn't appeal to people who don't like to live close to others and prefer more space between homes. Another drawback for some, he says, is that TNDs offer larger public spaces, not larger individual yards.

Other considerations include:

• Cost. Even though TND homes have small lots, they cost the same or more than comparable suburban homes.

• Too much sociability. "It would be harder to be a hermit [at I'On]," says Mr. Joyner. He believes there is a certain self-selection of population that occurs in a TND. Those who prefer to keep to themselves tend to buy homes elsewhere.

• Limited age-sensitive housing options. Do the homes have multiple stories, or is the living space all on one level? Burkett says that house style was an issue initially for Wyndhurst, until older buyers started requesting housing plans that offered main-floor bedrooms along with upstairs guest rooms.

• Community regulations. "We have some pretty strict regulations," says Mrs. Kroll of Harbor Town. A hot- button topic? "Almost every newsletter has an article about dogs."

• Works-in-progress. TNDs are planned as complete neighborhoods, with commercial and civic components. But it may take years for the entire community to be built. The Wyndhurst community was begun three years ago, but the retail stores and offices have only recently begun to take shape.

• Geographic location. Although the number of TNDs under development is accelerating, they are still few and far between. The Hoptons had considered moving out of state, hours away from their children, just to live in a TND. They were delighted when one opened in their area.

While regular TNDs are popular with seniors, new models - aimed especially at older residents - are evolving. The LLSC plans include a continuing-care component. Wyndhurst "offers the best of both worlds - a retirement community integrated within a TND," says Mr. Tipton, the architect.

The Summit, a "continuing care retirement community," was part of the original Wyndhurst master plan. The facility - which offers independent living, assisted living, and nursing care - is located directly across the street from Wyndhurst's town center and shops. The YMCA is just three blocks away.

Proximity to the rest of the TND has allowed Tenho Jackson, who's in his late 80s and lives in the Summit, to continue to be active. He walks three miles a day, sometimes twice a day, throughout the community. "This is an ideal location to walk without [obstacles that] make it difficult...," he says.

The Wyndhurst planning team had people like Mr. Jackson in mind. "The city [of Lynchburg] promised me that they would set the traffic lights for an 80-year-old," says the Rev. Ken Burger, the Summit's executive director.

Jackson and his wife have only to walk across the street for services such as an eye doctor, a gift store, and a coffee shop.

This holds great appeal for Joyner and many other retirees who look to TNDs to enable them to be active and independent as they get older. As he observes, "People are living longer - but they're living better longer."

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