A new development off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers has created an outside-the-box approach to 55+ communities, without the feel of assisted living or the hassle of owning a manufactured home but leasing the land.

On Saturday, Seneca at Oak Creek, located off Bayshore Road, held a grand opening event for community members and prospective residents, featuring food, live music, giveaways and more.

Guests got to meet the on-site professional management team and take guided tours of newly completed one-story model villas, the Community Clubhouse and Amenity Center.

Seneca at Oak Creek is a 55+ resort-style, maintenance-free rental community off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers.

Upon completion, the community will have 184 one- and two-bedroom units that feature a full kitchen, living room and private porches, along with an option for an attached garage.

Randy Thibaut, CEO of Sage Communities, the company involved in the project, said the community is a niche in the market. It’s a 55+ community, but not assisted living.

“It has all the amenities, social activities and it’s all included. It’s a rental community with one-year or two-year leases,” Thibaut said. “The key is having a full-time activities director so there’s plenty for people to do.”

Rob Mintz, vice president of acquisitions at Sage Communities, said the idea of Seneca was five years in the making and survived a pandemic and a Category 5 hurricane.

Currently, 30 homes have already been rented, with many people coming Saturday to take a tour with representatives of the five models available.

Susan Stokely of Naples got the tour and was very interested, not wanting to live in assisted living even though she walks with the aid of a cane.

“I’m not ready to go to the ‘Pink House,’ but I am ready for a lifestyle change. I see this and now I don’t want to go back to Michigan,” Stokely said. “This is really great quality. They dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s. Nothing is left out.”

Residents will have access to a Community Clubhouse and Amenity Center that offers a 24-hour fitness center and active fitness room, an open multipurpose room, leasing offices, property manager office, mailroom and work room.

Marcia Madison and her husband Joe were among the first to move to the development, as they decided to downsize from their old home at Sable Springs.

“We had a big house and figured this was a good time to sell. We’re very comfortable here. We like it a lot,” Madison said. “There was a lot of upkeep at the old house. Here, if something goes wrong, you call maintenance.”

Five distinguished floor plans range from 874 to 1,559 square feet, with introductory rental prices starting at $1,890 per month.

Seneca at Oak Creek is the first 55+ community being developed by Sage Communities, which plans additional senior living communities, The Prado in Cape Coral and Taylor Lakes in Punta Gorda.

For more information, please visit SenecaOakCreek.com or call 230-3910.