A New Chapter, a New Adventure

Stephen and Allison Lit love a good adventure. Whether launching a new business venture, exploring artistic talent, or making a life-changing move, the Lits never shy away from taking a leap into the unknown.

“People questioned why we moved,” said Stephen. “But a friend of ours suggested we come take a look at The Hill at Whitemarsh, and once we arrived at the property, we liked it and found ourselves coming back often.”

“We spent over 40 years on the Main Line,” added Allison. “We raised our kids there, and we were living in Haverford when we discovered The Hill. But once we visited, our biggest decision became ‘would we get a house or an apartment?’”

Part of the indecision stemmed from the fact that Allison is an artist and requires studio space. As a mosaic artist for over 20 years, she has always needed the space to create; all of her homes have been able to accommodate her art. When they lived in their family house in Rosemont, she had a separate studio in their backyard, and when they moved to Haverford, they built a basement studio. So, for Allison, studio space was non-negotiable for a move to The Hill.

“I took classes with a well-known mosaic artist from Philadelphia in the city and fell in love with it,” said Allison. “I continued on my own and took classes at an art center on the Main Line. Although we ultimately settled on moving into an apartment at The Hill, I was able to customize the space exactly the way I wanted it.”

“It was gutted to the studs!” added Stephen. “It’s very bright and colorful, and of course, we have a lot of art.”

The couple decided to turn the second bedroom of the apartment into a split studio/office space for both of them to use as they saw fit, and they loved the process of getting to work on the renovation together.

“I’m very decisive, and I had a vision that I wanted to execute,” Allison said. “I didn’t want to repeat what we had done in previous homes; I was excited to have the chance to start over with a totally new aesthetic.”

“It feels very whimsical,” said Stephen. “The team that we worked with at The Hill were indispensable, even though renovating and designing are not unfamiliar territory for us.”

When Stephen decided to retire from a successful career in telecommunications, he didn’t actually retire; he launched a new venture in real estate. While Stephen’s first career had him traveling all over the globe, he decided to partner with Allison in his second career so they could spend more quality time together.

“We developed properties, and Allison would handle all the design elements and the staging,” Stephen said. “She has such a good eye.”

It’s no surprise then, that the Lits approached a major renovation on their new home at The Hill with both ease and excitement. The pair became serious about moving to The Hill in December 2023, and by July 2024, they had moved–along with their puggle, Bella–into a beautiful new space that had been completely customized for them.

“We’ve been meeting so many new people here, and everyone has been amazing,” said Stephen. “Everyone is so interesting.”

“We looked at other communities, but there is something so special about The Hill. The property is beautiful, the staff is remarkable, and you really become part of the fabric of the community as soon as you are here.” – Allison Lit