`Younger' home buyers welcome at Sunrise Colony's Siena

When Washington state residents Rose and Dino Serventi first heard about Siena, an Italian-themed village in Summerlin, they assumed they were too young to live in the 55-and-older community. The couple, both in their early 50s, assumed incorrectly.

"We were so disappointed, too, because we almost felt it was our destiny to live there," Rose Serventi said. "Then we called and found a certain number of Siena residents can be between age 50 and 55. We came to Las Vegas right away to look."

That was little more than a year ago. The Serventis are now residents of Siena.

The couple, and others like them, took advantage of a federal law that states an age-qualified community can sell as many as 20 percent of its homes to people between the ages of 50 and 55, according to Ed Smith, vice president of sales at Siena, a Sunrise Colony Co. development.

"Expanding our age range has worked out really well for us," Smith said. "There are so many people between 50 and 55 who absolutely love Siena's active lifestyle. Either they have no children or their children are grown -- been there, done that. Now they want to live in an all-adult community.

"A lot of our younger residents are single people of both genders. They like sharing leisure activities with people who have similar interests. Because (the) amenities are within easy walking distance, they have a lot of chances to develop a great socializing network."

Smith pointed out that buyers under age 50 can buy a home at Siena as an investment, but they must rent or lease that home to someone who is age 55 or older.

Rose Serventi said she and her husband especially enjoy the community's 15,900-square-foot fitness center, which opened last New Year's Eve amid much celebration.

"When we bring guests to the fitness center, they can't believe how elegant it is," she said.

The center's swim pavilion is decorated with Italian Renaissance-style murals, and features two-story windows overlooking the community's golf course, outdoor pool and spa, and tennis and bocce courts. Inside is a 25-meter pool and spa. In addition to cardiovascular and weight rooms, the health club offers saunas and steam rooms in its locker rooms. A fitness manager is on-site.

The 12,000-square-foot social center offers a full schedule of hobby and craft classes, as well as card and billiard rooms. There is also a full-time activities manager, who creates a variety of community events including street festivals and theme parties.

An 18-hole championship golf course, designed by Schmidt and Curley, winds through the village. Although the course is open to players of all ages on a daily-fee basis, residents of Siena are given special rates and preferred tee times.

"We've loved living here these past 14 months," Dino Serventi said. "It's exciting to watch this community take shape before our eyes. They have done such an incredible job of recreating a little bit of Italy in Siena. At night, when the palm tree lights go on, it looks like a resort up here."

Rows of palm trees line the private road leading to the community's guard-gated entrance. Security officers also patrol the neighborhoods on a 24-hour basis and conduct house checks for residents who are away.

The couple works full time, but have recently considered part-time employment, according to Rose Serventi.

"We hate missing the fun when we're off working," she said.

All homes in the 665-acre development are single-story. Buyers can choose from five Mediterranean-style collections of homes and 14 floor plans, ranging from 1,200 to 3,000 square feet. Homes are priced from the $160,000s to about $650,000.

A range of customizing options is available including casitas and courtyard fireplaces. Interior designers are on-site to assist buyers.

Siena is in the southwestern portion of Summerlin and bordered on the north by West Flamingo Road.

The model village can be reached by taking Sahara Avenue or Interstate 215 to Town Center Drive and going south to Siena Monte Avenue.

The sales office and model hours are from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.

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