Vibrante invites shared living for women over 55 in East Nokomis

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN

Roxanne Cornell recently launched a one-of-a-kind living experience for women aged 55+ in the Wenonah neighborhood of East Nokomis. Called Vibrante, the handsome, two-story brick home she purchased and renovated overlooks Lake Nokomis at 5455 Woodlawn Blvd. Her goal is to have four like-minded women living there within the next six months, enjoying the company and support of one another in this private, home environment.

“The idea for Vibrante has been a long time coming,” Cornell said. “It started with my 35+ year career as a social worker; I became very skilled at connecting people to services.”

Photo left: Roxanne Cornell, Vibrante president, concierge, and visionary, said, “In this country right now, we have about 40,000,000 people who are over 65 years old. That number is expected to double by 2030. There’s a hole in the housing market for small-scale, shared housing. I believe it’s imperative that we look at new models for aging and living well.” (Photo by Margie O’Loughlin)

“In the last four years,” she continued, “I was employed by a law firm specializing in working with older clients around issues of long-term care, estate planning, power of attorney, etc. I got to see firsthand that the options for living arrangements as people aged were very limited.”

Cornell is a proud member of the Baby Boomer Generation, and said, “Since the 1960’s, we’ve changed the way everything works in our country. We’re not going to go out quietly.’

She believes that the paradigm for retirement has shifted. Many boomers can’t afford to retire, and many others may choose not to—or at least may be retiring later. Wherever the future members of Vibrante are in the course of their lives, Cornell envisions a shared living community where they won’t have to grow old alone, staying vibrant, healthy, and engaged with life.

Cornell lives just a few blocks away with her spouse, in a house she has occupied for more than 20 years. She plans to be actively engaged in the life of Vibrante as its concierge, helping members with everything from choosing a health care clinic to buying theater tickets. The cost for concierge service will be included in the $200 monthly membership fee.

Renovation of the Vibrante home was done by local White Crane Construction. All of the shared spaces are comfortably and stylishly furnished. There are three private bedrooms with adjoining bathrooms on the second floor, and one on the lower level. Rents range from $1,975/month to $3,175/month (plus membership fee). Amenities of the home include a gas fireplace, backyard patio, built-in secure lower level storage, a spacious, state-of-the-art-kitchen and, everywhere you look, peaceful views of the lake and neighborhood.

Cornell explained, “Outwardly, I see myself as a social entrepreneur, but inside I’m still a social worker right down to my soul. Vibrante is so much bigger than me; it’s about changing the narrative of how we age. I could afford to renovate this house because of an inheritance left to me by my father. My vision is simply to create a space that can hold four spicy, older, independent women—one that offers them the right balance of shared space and privacy so that they can continue to live happy, full, and satisfying lives. I have no interest in turning this into a corporate enterprise through franchising.”

An informational open house is scheduled for Thur., Dec. 7 from 4-7pm. Call Roxanne Cornell at 612-816-6940 or email her at Roxanne@vibranteliving.com with any questions.