Laureate Park, a traditionally styled neighborhood, will be highlighted by curved roads meandering around lushly landscaped public spaces. Homes will be equipped with state-of-the-art energy saving features.
AS GROWTH ACCELARATES, A NEW CITY TAKES SHAPE
As Medical City’s facilities are taking shape, surrounding housing and retail projects are also beginning to blossom.
The northern part of Lake Nona already encompasses large estate homes in the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club as well as more affordable offerings in NorthLake Park, Waters Edge and Village Walk. Now residential development tied specifically to Medical City is gearing up.
“Our residential demand has been steady for two-and-a-half years, which has been contrary to the Orlando market,” says Rob Adams, Lake Nona’s vice president of marketing. “And demand is increasing as we diversify the product.”
Lake Nona’s newest neighborhood is Laureate Park, a traditionally styled project in which the streets are named for Nobel Prize winners.
The neighborhood will include 503 homes priced from the low $200s to the mid-$500s. David Weekley Homes, K. Hovnanian Homes and Ashton Woods Homes are the exclusive builders.
While Laureate Park shares Norman Rockwellian styling elements with such successful local projects as Celebration and Baldwin Park, it will have a somewhat more organic feel.
Instead of plotting the neighborhood using a traditional square grid, Laureate Park developers followed a bent grid, which means curved roads will meander around green, landscaped pathways.
The homes, some of which will be inspired by South-ern California architecture, will feature modern touches of color and sustainable materials. Miles of walking/jogging paths and man-made lakes are planned.
“It’s going to feel different and edgy,” says Adams. “You won’t be able to find it anywhere else.”
Ashton Woods will offer single-family homes as well as three urban loft floorplans ranging in size from 1,689 to 1,877 square feet.
David Weekley will offer four single-family floorplans ranging in size from 1,500 to 2,900 square feet, while K. Hovnanian will offer duplexes with alleyway garages.
The neighborhood is participating in a General Electric program called Homes Inspired by Eco-Imagination, through which homes are pre-wired for electric vehicles and illumination is provided by LED streetlights.
In addition, each Laureate Park home will be equipped with a geo-springs water heater/heat pump that cuts water and energy usage by 30 percent.
A Nucleus Energy Management System helps monitor a home’s energy consumption. “It looks like a cell phone charger that you plug into the wall,” says Adams. “It talks to the meter outside. You can hook it up to a special thermostat and go on the Web and see what your house is doing.”
Surrounding Laureate Park will be a Village Center packed with retail shops, restaurants, a fitness center and an array of other amenities. Another big retail project taking shape is the walkable Lake Nona Town Center, which will boast twin hotels.
“Lake Nona is an attractive community and is only going to get better,” says Randy Hartley, chief administrative officer for Nemours Children’s Hospital, who recently relocated to Lake Nona. “As we see the retail center open and more homes built, I’m sure this area will wow many of the candidates we’re recruiting.”
In addition, road projects will make traveling to, from and within Medical City more convenient. Linking existing roads such as Lake Nona Boulevard with Boggy Creek Road and tying the development to SunRail, Central Florida’s commuter train system, is also a top priority for regional transportation officials.
“Rail is a part of the plan for that area,” says Kelley Teague, director of public affairs for Metroplan Orlando. “We are mindful of the need to have a transit component serving Lake Nona.”