Boomers are entering their peak earning years, and Southwest Florida has become a very attractive location for them ... . Our challenge is to maintain the high quality of life that first attracted them to this region.
The suburban commute has become ridiculous. A new generation of working people is focused on adding to their quality of life. They want more time for family and social activities. That long commute has caused the deterioration of their quality of life.
We can readily see their beneficial influence upon our economy, the design of master-planned communities and even into the civic fabric of our community.
Many communities are refocusing growth back on the urban center. Land is scarce in these locations. High demand drives the price of land through the roof. To be affordable, it forces housing to go vertical. You have a need for 10-, 20- and 30-story high-rises.
Today's generation of workers are focused on family and social activities. In suburban communities, it's not uncommon to spend 1-1/2 hours each way commuting to work. That's destroying the quality of life.
You would be hard-pressed to identify another location anywhere in the United States in which the baby boom population is playing such a pervasive role.
