It has taken less than a year for Maris Grove, the Erickson community in Concordville, Pa., to build and open its first neighborhood of homes. According to records from 18 other Erickson Retirement Communities across the country, it was the quickest time frame in the company’s almost 25-year history.

A two-story, single family home may have been in vogue 20 or more years ago, but studies show that many Americans are now opting for a single-floor style of living.