Andy Masland and Dave Mosley from Bridgewater, New Hampshire moved to their custom-built Highland Green home in December. Andy is a Vice President for the international information and technology firm NEC. Dave recently left the publishing industry and works as a library aide at the Topsham Public Library.
Dave and Andy relocated to Highland Green for many reasons. The location is convenient, especially for Andy who travels for work up to 23 weeks a year and as far as Japan.Their home backs onto the Heath Sanctuary, part of the 235-acre Cathance River Nature Preserve. Living at Highland Green lets them spend less time on home and grounds maintenance, allowing them to enjoy more of their free time. Their ability to custom design and build allowed them to have a house that they could not find elsewhere within the security of a planned community.
They were thrilled that Highland Green made it so easy for them to incorporate solar energy. They have a solar electric array on their roof with 42 modules producing 12.6 KW of energy, planned to provide for all of their electrical needs including 2 plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Highland Green’s custom-building capability also allowed Dave and Andy to create a home within a home. They have expansive one-floor living for themselves plus a second-floor suite complete with custom kitchen, bathroom, office, great room, and plenty of storage. Dave’s sister Deb is a Practice Manager at Mid Coast Hospital and calls that second-level and Highland Green home.
Like hundreds from around the country who have moved here, Andy and Dave love Highland Green in part for what it is not. “It’s not a regular neighborhood,” says Dave. “We really like that it’s protected and cooperatively well-maintained, but that it’s much more than a condominium development. Even though there is a golf course here, it’s definitely not a golf community. It’s absolutely a conservation community. And it was important to us that it was not a full-scale retirement or continuing care community, and that many people are still working like us.”
Indeed, Dave has summed up exactly what Highland Green is: a unique Maine-style 55+ Active Adult Lifestyle Community. A community that represents itself as a “55+” must conform to Federal Fair Housing guidelines. 80% of the households must have one person 55 or older and, in the case of Highland Green, there may be no permanent residents under the age of 19.
Just on Dave and Andy’s five home cul-de-sac called Black Cherry Lane, folks made the decision to move to Highland Green in their 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. “We love the sense of community here,” says Andy.
Because Highland Green is geared toward people 50 and older, most residents are retired. But you may be surprised to know how many people still employed in their careers have moved to Highland Green. The list includes but is not limited to:
Science Teacher – Brunswick High School; Clinical Social Worker; Attorney practicing in Oakland, California; Manager for Time Warner Cable of Maine; Librarian – Brunswick High School; Food Chemist based in Washington, D.C.; Hospital Practice Manager; Library Aide at Topsham Public Library; Workforce Partnership CEO; Osteopathic Doctor; Website Coordinator for Maine State Library; Realtor; Marketing and Operations Director for L.L. Bean; Actuary; Insurance Broker; Medical Office Manager; construction company CFO; Home Care Nurse; Senior Director of Global Benefits for international corporation; Physical Therapist; Operational Director of Maine Physician-Hospital Organization; Project Manager for commercial construction company; Voice Instructor; Dentist; Vice President of international information and technology firm; CPA; Paralegal for the EPA; Senior Development Manager University of Maine; Commissioner of State Department of Education; Senior Scientist – USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University
It’s a one-of-a kind community. It’s Highland Green, and Highland Green works.
