MASTER-PLANNED PERFECTION
As many of us work longer hours and endure more day-to-day stresses, we’re opting to live in communities that offer resort-style amenities, convenient retail centers and relaxing natural settings.
Home as an escape from the rat race isn’t a new concept. But today’s developers are amping up the comfort factor and trading on nostalgia to attract harried buyers who want their neighborhoods to provide both shelter and psychic solace.
According to Kathryn Copeland, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Winter Park who specializes in upscale homes, buyers are heavily influenced by first impressions.
Manned security gates, for example, offer a feeling of security and exclusivity. “That’s a huge marketing tool,” says Copeland. “An impressive gated entrance says to the buyer, ‘if I move here, I’ve made it.’”
But not every buyer feels that way. Other successful master-planned communities, such as Baldwin Park, Avalon Park, Harmony and Celebration, very deliberately offer open entrances, making them seem more inclusive and welcoming.
When you drive through the entrance at Celebration, the signature water tower offers a pleasingly retro image. The entrance to Harmony has recently been improved with the addition of two 35-foot towers along with four-foot stone walls surrounded by lush landscapes.
But gated or not, virtually every master-planned community has some form of community center, a central gathering place at which events can be hosted and residents can gather.
“People don’t have as much free time today,” says Copeland. “A community center on site means you can usually walk from your front door and socialize, if you want to.”
Whether preferring such amenities as walking paths and dog parks or water parks and fitness centers, buyers want neighborhoods that offer a sense of belonging and cater to their busy and demanding lifestyles.
The Lake Nona area continues to see a steady stream of buyers relocating as a result of the burgeoning Medical City complex. The majority are relocating from major metropolitan areas to work in the new research facilities and hospitals that are reshaping east Orange County.
At the heart of Medical City, the Laureate Park community features homes by Ashton Woods Homes, David Weekley Homes and K Hovnanian Homes. All are within walking distance of the new town center, which will boast shops, restaurants, hotels and meeting space.
Also near Medical City is Eagle Creek, a Centerline Homes community with a 24-hour manned gated entrance and individual gates to smaller villages within the community. Amenities include pools, tot lots, sport courts and bicycle paths.
“Centerline communities are more than just houses on a street,” says Deb Marton, vice president of sales. “Our communities improve the buyer’s life and give children a sense of belonging.”
Luxury living at affordable prices combined with plenty of amenities is the draw at two of Ryland Homes’ top communities in Central Florida.
Along picturesque Crystal Lake in Groveland is a popular lakefront community called Waterside Pointe. There, residents can enjoy canoeing, kayaking and fishing on the 220-acre lake. Several homesites also offer canal access to Lake Minneola.
Residents have access to a full amenity center with a cabana and clubhouse, exercise room, tot lot, sports court and the community’s signature Waterside Pointe Water Slide Tower.
A maintenance-free lifestyle near area attractions is the draw at Ryland’s Oasis Cove, a townhome community located in Windermere. The community is minutes away from Walt Disney World as well as shopping and dining destinations.
A clubhouse, swimming pool and fitness center are available to residents, who also have a front-row seat to the nightly fireworks show over the Magic Kingdom.
“Our buyers appreciate the lifestyle-driven amenities,” says Angie Colston, vice president of sales and marketing. “They appreciate having everything right where they live.”
In downtown Orlando, The Vue sets the standard for luxurious amenities. The 36-story landmark includes manned, 24-hour security and concierge services, making it one of the most sought-after addresses in the city.
A sixth-floor amenity area encompasses cooking grills, tennis and basketball courts, lounge areas and a resort-style pool. Social events are held monthly as well as road trips to local concerts and special events.
Just a few miles away from Walt Disney World and the Four Corners region, the Reunion Resort offers award-winning amenities for full-time residents as well those who maintain vacation homes. Staffers oversee an active events calendar, ranging from junior golf tournaments to seasonal celebrations.
“The Reunion lifestyle brings family and friends together,” says Vicki Dillard, director of marketing and sales support for Luxury Team of Florida Real Estate Group, the exclusive on-site real estate company. “The amenities cater to people of all ages.”
Marketed as the ultimate golf destination, residents and visitors at Reunion can tee off at one of three signature golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson. Families can enjoy a private five-acre waterpark paradise complete with a lazy river and twisting waterslides.
Still need to cool off? The Seven Seas Pool Pavilion is Reunion’s central gathering spot, with 10 pools and a rooftop pool at the Eleven Restaurant atop Reunion Grande. There’s also an on-site boutique spa, fitness center, tennis courts and several restaurants.
Some buyers also seek communities that offer an additional “green” component. Oakland Park and Harmony, for example, emphasize eco-friendliness and sustainability.
Oakland Park in Winter Garden is Central Florida’s first community to earn the Certified Green Development designation by the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC).
More than 75 of the community’s 235-acres are designated as community parks. And its bike trails are connected to the West Orange Trail, which will eventually become part of a 200-mile network known as the Central Florida Loop.
Every home is just steps away from a park. Small neighborhood parks with playgrounds, tennis court and open fields compliment larger, linear parks perfect for community gatherings, concerts and holiday events. The parks are landscaped with drought-tolerant and pest-resistant material.
Construction is under way on the new Meadow Marsh Park, which will include a pool, playground and community garden plots. A certified master garden will be available to work with residents to grow vegetables, flowers or herbs in above-ground boxes.
In addition, the first 100 buyers will receive memberships to nearby Oakland Nature Preserve. The 128-acre restoration project along Lake Apopka offers live animal exhibits, a cultural and natural history museum and a picturesque boardwalk through the wetlands.
“The park and trail amenity package fits with the active, healthy lifestyle that’s associated with those seeking a green community and a traditional neighborhood design,” says Bob Hennen, vice president of sales and marketing for Castle & Cooke, which oversees Oakland Park.
Harmony, in Osceola County near St. Cloud, offers a similar commitment to conservation as well as an array of amenities. In fact, the community has its own full-time lifestyle director.
“Harmony offers more amenities at a better value than other communities,” says Tim Hultgren, director of sales and marketing for the Harmony Development Company.
Hultgren is particularly proud of the fact that amenities include such out-of-the-ordinary offerings as photography. Monthly events such as “Mommy and Me” story times, video game marathons for teens, father/daughter dances and nature hikes encourage family interaction.
For active adults, the lifestyle team organizes shuttles to local attractions, such as the Brevard County Zoo, or to wineries, breweries and shopping and entertainment destinations.
Harmony, which began as the Harmony Institute, was founded by former Orlando Humane Society/SPCA director Martha Lentz, who envisioned a community where people lived in harmony with pets, wildlife and the environment.
Consequently, the community offers monthly lectures and presentations from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and other groups at its Conservation Café. Speakers educate residents on interacting with alligators and other wildlife and planting native Florida vegetation and landscaping.
The new Harmony Garden community project allows families to grow their own flowers, vegetables or other vegetation in garden plots with the assistance of a master gardener.
Buck Lake, a 465-acre body of water, is a busy spot on weekends for fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Surrounding the lake is a 100-foot buffer from homes while gasoline-powered boats are prohibited.
The Harmony Golf Preserve is one of the top-rated golf courses in the United States and the only signature Johnny Miller designed course in Central Florida. With no homes built on the fairway, the course was designed as a fully protected nature preserve.
Energy efficient homes in Harmony are built by David Weekley Homes, Lifestyle Homes, Wetherington Homes, Park Square Homes and Phoenix Building Company. A new Green Neighborhood by David Weekley offers only homes that are Environments for Living Gold-Certified. Buyers will save up to 30 percent on utility costs.
Lifestyle driven communities such as the ones discussed in this article will continue to be a huge draw for buyers, says Copeland. “Kids can stay in school with the same friends. It’s easy for people to move into these communities and they offer a variety of aging-in-place options. They’re great places to be.”