NEW YORK: An empty-nester father of four, is downsizing to a custom-built, 37th-floor apartment with panoramic 360-degree views, glass wine cellar, steam room, cinema, four bedrooms and a six-car garage.

The new generation empty-nester does not want to feel squeezed in their smaller homes, developers say. Designers focus on making the most from the least space.

Psychologically, many who downsize do not want to move into a significantly smaller space, they want it to feel like a house.

An increasing number of empty-nesters buy two, or several, adjoining apartments off-the-plan so they can add additional bedrooms (in one case letting a spouse escape her snoring husband), butler’s pantries, out-door kitchens or bigger bathrooms.

Some apartment buyers move into the same floor space as their former home. They ditch their suburban garden and pool in a quiet suburb for a more vibrant zip code.

This trend is covered in detail in the Seniors Housing Trends Text Book Series