Horizon West Magazine by Irma Yapor

ceLebrating tHe Life and styLe of tHe Horizon West area

COMMISSIONER BOYD: A LEADER’S DEEP ROOTS

MAGAZINE

2015 Horizon West Tour of New Homes Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 21 and 22

MODEL hOMES

COMMuNITIES

LiveHorizonWest.com

If your Lennar home could talk...

If your Lennar home could talk what would it say? It would tell you everything’s included with features that most builders charge extra for. And, the memories your family will soon be sharing…

Our homes do talk. You’ll be amazed at what they have to say.

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Lennar Automation Dashboard: Includes smart TV, streaming audio and video, networking and broadband internet.

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DA YTO

Orlando Communities & Attractions

lan do Air Dr. po rt Rd .

McCulloch Rd.

434

ORLANDO

PIK

551

Universal Orlando Resort

441

Islands of Adventure

Ficquette Rd. Orange County National Golf Center Summerlake

Overstreet Rd.

Windermere Sound

Aquatica SeaWorld Discovey Cove

Walt Disney World 535

LAKE BUENA VISTA

Storey Green

County Rd. 474

Poitras Rd.

Westside Road

530

Magic Kingdom

17 417

Paradise Palms

Palmetto Dunes St.

192

441

TAM

Narcoossee Road

Boggy Creek Road

North Pointe

Buenaventura

530 Blvd.

ChampionsGate Blvd.

417

Enclave at Moss Park

Wyndham Lakes

a Pkwy

192

Storey Park Moss Park Road

Kissimmee Municipal Airport va No

Ron a ld Reag an Pkw y

Town Center Blvd

Osceol

429

ChampionsGate

528

Storey Lake 417

192

Bee Line Expy 528

Orlando International Airport

5 d1 oa .R Co

Wet ‘n Wild Titanic The Experience Icebar Wonderworks

Lake Tohopekaliga

Alligator Lake

Harmony

Providence

600

. Rd

Hartwood Alexander Ridge Marsh Rd.

50 Amway Center 408

408

Pin e Gro ve

Colonial Drive

Winter Garden Vineland Rd.

Hickory Tree Rd

Communities Attractions

ON THE SPACE COAST

Shopping ck to vis Sole

Blvd

Judge Fran Jamieson Way

Lake Andrew Dr.

Legacy Blvd.

rno

Daintree Way

m Stadiu y wa Park

Move In Ready Homes

map not to scale

Dr.

Traditions (Active Adults)

Rusack Dr.

• Homes Priced From the $150s To $500s • 800-509-4542 • Text: 407-310-7677 • Email: LennarOrlando@Lennar.com

419

University UCF Dr.

PIK

WINTER PARK

OCOEE

Hancock Rd. Heritage Hills (Active Adults) 429

Lake Minnehaha

Finding the perfect community for your Lennar home isn’t hard to do. From golf, tennis, fitness, swimming, biking, hiking, boating and social activities, there’s a community right for you.

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS

434

ood Blv

rn Ex

436

441

Weste

WINTER GARDEN

Get Up To $10,000 Toward Closing Costs**

ALA

Hook St.

Citrus Tower Lakeshore Dr. Blvd. Lake Louisa

ltw

OC 27

Lake Jesup

LONGWOOD 434

E. Semoran Blvd. Emerson Park

Lake Apopka

Hunt Club Blvd.

Celery Avenue

APOPKA

415

Orlando Sanford International Airport

Stoneybrook Hills

441

25th St.

ste

N. Wekiva Springs Rd.

Lake Dora

600

Orange Blvd.

Lockw

County Rd. 437

Red Tail

$70,000* Off The Purchase Price.

Save Up To

Mt. Dora

S. French Ave.

Lake Monroe Lake Eustis

Heritage Isle (Active Adults) Wickham Rd.

EXIT 191

Welcome Home Center Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am–6pm Sunday 11am-6pm

ORLANDO.COM *On select inventory homes. **Offers available on select homes, as determined by Lennar, must purchase and close by 11/30/14. Paid closing costs on select homes will vary, not to exceed $10,000. Closing costs cannot exceed maximum amounts dictated by specific mortgage program. All prices and offers subject to change without notice. Features, amenities and designs vary per plan and community and are subject to changes or substitution without notice. Copyright © 2014 Lennar Corporation and Universal American Mortgage Company, LLC. Lennar, the Lennar logo, Everything’s Included, Universal American Mortgage Company and the UAMC logo are registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. CGC1518166. 9/14.

The 2015 Horizon West Tour of New Homes features 25 communities, many with resort-style amenities such as the lakefront pool and recreation center at Summerlake (above). The annual tour features more than 50 model homes, some of which are on the many sparkling lakes that help define the unique lifestyle of Horizon West. The lakefront homes on Lake Speer (below) are an ideal example.

IT’S THE

BIGGEST C

NEW-HOME EVENT IN CENTRAL FLORIDA

WITh MORE ThAN 50 MODEL hOMES IN 25 COMMuNITIES (PLuS EIGhT GRAND OPENINGS), hORIZON WEST INVITES YOu TO SEE WhY BuYERS ARE SOLD ON ThE SOuThWEST. entral Floridians have seen new-home extravaganzas before. But nothing like the second-annual Horizon West Tour of New Homes, which will be the biggest new-home event ever held in the tri-county area. The tour is set to run Saturday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 22, from noon to 6 p.m. in the Horizon West area. For the past decade, this master-planned swath of southwest Orange County has been the region’s busiest growth hot spot.

But now, the pace is quickening and new-home communities are sprouting on rolling acres of woods and groves dotted by pristine lakes. Last year, thousands of would-be buyers were wowed when they toured decorated model centers during the inaugural tour. Turns out, they only got a taste of what was to come. Just how big is the 2015 tour? Check out this preview:  Nine of the region’s top homebuilders and one major developer are participating.  There’ll be 25 communities, eight of which are celebrating grand openings.  More than 50 model homes in an array of styles and price ranges will be open for tours. A major kickoff event is slated for Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Windermere Sound community with entertainment and

information about the tour. Go to www.LiveHorizonWest. com for more details. Longtime followers of the local new-home market are hard-pressed to remember a time in Central Florida when eight new-home communities debuted at once, especially all within one defined area. But it’s no surprise that Horizon West would be the scene of such a history-making event. This one-of-a-kind, multi-village development is attracting intense interest — and notching record sales — for a variety of reasons:  It offers close proximity to Disney World and all the region’s major attractions.  An expanding transportation network, including S.R. 429 and Florida’s Turnpike, means all of Central Florida is easily accessible.  Winter Garden Village, historic downtown Winter Garden and the area’s own soon-to-come retail districts mean every convenience is nearby. LiveHorizonWest.com H5

 Recreation opportunities abound on the stunning Windermere Chain of Lakes, and many top-rated championship golf courses are just a chip shot away. Following, in alphabetical order, are the participants in the 2015 Horizon West Tour of Homes, and the communities in which they will be showcasing homes. Communities celebrating grand openings are indicated first:

AShTON WOODS hOMES  Ashlin Park, townhomes, from the low $220s. Grand opening.  Latham Park, single-family, from the $270s. Grand opening.  Independence, single-family, from the $500s.  Peachtree Park, single-family, from the mid-$270s.

M/I hOMES  Summerlake Groves, single-family and townhomes, from the low $260s. Grand opening.  Hickory Hammock, single-family, from the high $280s.

PuLTE hOMES  Lakeview Pointe, single-family and townhomes, call for pricing. Coming soon.  Royal Estates, single-family, from the $360s.

ROYAL OAK hOMES  Avalon Reserve, single-family, from the high $200s.  Black Lake Preserve, single-family, call for prices. Coming soon.

KB hOME

TAYLOR MORRISON

 Lake Hancock Preserve, single-family, call for pricing. Grand opening.  Orchard Park, single-family, call for pricing. Grand opening.  Summerlake, single-family, from the high $260s.  Vineyard Square, townhomes, from the $220s.

 The Cove at Hamlin, single-family, from the $260s. Grand opening.  Independence, single-family, from the mid-$500s.  Overlook at Hamlin, single-family, from the $270s.  The Reserve at Carriage Pointe, single-family, from the low $300s.

LENNAR hOMES  Alexander Ridge, single-family, from the mid-$200s.  Independence, single-family, from the $350s.  Summerlake, single-family, call for prices.  Windermere Sound, single-family, from the low $200s.

MERITAGE hOMES  Watermark, single-family, from the high $220s. Grand opening.  Enclave at Windermere Landing, single-family, from the high $380s.  Johns Lake Pointe, single-family, from the high $260s.  Windermere Trails, single-family, from the mid-$260s.

TOLL BROThERS  Royal Cypress Preserve, single-family, call for prices. Grand opening.  Casabella, single-family, from the $800s.

DEVELOPER: STARWOOD LAND VENTuRES

 Summerlake, with a nine-home model center featuring homes from Beazer Homes, D.R. Horton Homes, KB Home and Lennar Homes. Best of all, the 2015 Horizon West Tour of New Homes is absolutely free. During the event, many participating builders will be offering special incentives for buyers, so be sure to ask an onsite representative for details about special programs. 

IN BRIEF

When: Saturday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 22, from noon to 6 p.m. Where: The Horizon West area in southwest Orange County What: The biggest new-home event ever in Central Florida, with more than 50 model homes in 25 communities. Eight communities will be celebrating grand openings. Cost: Free For more information go to www.LiveHorizonWest.com

H 6 L i ve Ho r i z o nWe s t .c om

BRIDGEWATER MIDDLE SCHOOL

ORCHARD HILLS

KEENEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CROSSING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LAKE SPEER

SUMMERPORT PARK

Top: This aerial photo, with key locations indicated, shows the way Horizon West was planned: limited lake development and natural buffers as well as numerous conservation areas and proximity to schools and parks. Bottom: Homes in an array of styles and price ranges are available, including the Kendelwood (below left) by Pulte Homes at Royal Estates and the Treviso (bottom right) by Taylor Morrison in The Overlook at Hamlin, which is nestled along Lake Hancock.

how the

west was won L

et’s stipulate up front that Horizon West is big. It’s the largest masterplanned development in Central Florida’s history and a project that will drive growth in Southwest Orange County for decades to come. But let’s also stipulate that it won’t necessarily feel big to residents. That’s because it’s not so much one master-planned development as it is a cluster of separate, distinct but interconnected villages served by a Town Center.

Although Horizon West’s individual components will be intimate and walkable, the overall scope is eye-popping. The area encompasses 23,000 acres and will ultimately be home to more than 60,000 people. In acreage, that’s 10 times the size of Baldwin Park. In population, that’s three times the size of Winter Park. Central Florida has never seen anything like it, at least not on such a grand scale. In fact, few if any master-planned developments in the entire U.S. have been so meticulously planned, hotly debated and carefully scrutinized.

AN ICY ORIGIN

Horizon West exists thanks to the determination of a cadre of disenfranchised landowners, the vision of an innovative landplanning firm and the willingness of sometimes hidebound governmental agencies to accept an intriguing but untested

approach to growth management. And to a pair of devastating freezes, neither of which seemed like good news at the time. Horizon West’s origins can be traced back to late 1992, when a group of property owners began meeting for breakfast to discuss what to do with their groves in the aftermath of ruinous weather, including a brutal Christmas Day freeze in 1989 that had decimated the local citrus industry. At first, the situation seemed frustratingly intractable. The county’s land-use plan called for the vast tracts upon which groves had once flourished to remain rural. Under the plan, which placed a large swath of Southwest Orange County outside the urban service area, housing would be limited to one unit every 5 or 10 acres. That meant the property, now unsuitable for agriculture, would also be unsuitable for development. LiveHorizonWest.com H9

Florida Hospital is building a ninth campus across from Winter Garden Village. Florida Hospital Winter Garden will feature a state-of-the-art emergency department staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as a multispecialty physician clinic.

The odds were against the property owners, dozens upon ties linked by road and rail. Those “garden cities” would surdozens of them, who together held roughly 38,000 acres. round a larger, central city. Without water and sewer lines, the theory went, builders But the planners also looked at current trends in New would be forced to find land within the urban service area’s Urbanism, Celebration being a prime local example. They boundaries, and sprawl would be minimized. also studied well-established communities such as Winter In fact, such restrictions were making sprawl worse. Park, which remained a model for smart planning a century Developers were simply leapfrogging the rural expanses and after its founding. “What we came up with was so simple that it was powerbuilding thousands of new homes in Lake County to the ful,” adds Sellen. west and Osceola County to the south. Many buyers of those homes worked in Orange County. Further vexing to the property owners was the fact that Horizon West, as it was originally envisioned, would conthe designated rural area abutted Disney World to the south. tain six to eight Howard-style villages consisting of two to With more than 52,000 jobs, Disney was, and remains, the four neighborhoods. Schools and community parks would largest single-site employer in the U.S. be within walking distance — a half-mile or less — of the Still, the landowners knew that to get the designation changed, homes, and the size of each neighborhood would be pegged they’d have to propose something more comprehensive, more to the capacity of its school. carefully thought out and more cutting edge than anything state Each village would have its own Village Center with such and county officials had previously been presented. essentials as a grocery store and a Not-for-profit Horizon West Inc. drug store. A major mixed-use Town was formed in 1993 with the mission Today there are 45 Center with homes, shops, offices of putting a development plan forward. and public areas would serve all the The organization hired the land-plancommunities, some complete villages. ning firm of Miller, Sellen, Connor and and some underway, Bicycle and pedestrian paths Walsh (now VBH MillerSellen) to craft encompassing 22,628 homes. would line every street and connect a concept that state and county officials Village Centers and neighborhoods would buy into. And the pace is quickening. to one another. Thousands of acres of greenspace would be preserved. Company President Jim Sellen, who was Orange County’s “We looked at everything that made great communities,” planning director in the late 1970s, knew that county officials says Sellen. “We created, basically, a city of short distances. would never agree to extend the urban service area for pieceIt’s not one master-planned community, but several mastermeal projects. planned communities working off each other.” He also knew that the county had been pushing growth County Commissioner Bob Freeman, whose district east, not west, because of the University of Central Florida encompassed Horizon West, pushed hard for the project, in and the Central Florida Research Park as well as Orlando part because he knew that the prospect of large-scale developInternational Airport. ment would expedite extension of S.R. 429. (Today the limSellen agreed that the rural designation made no sense because ited-access toll road, formally known as the Daniel Webster Western Beltway, runs from U.S. Highway 441 in Apopka of the land’s adjacency to major employers. Plus, the land was south through Horizon West to I-4 near Disney.) high and dry and well-suited geotechnically for growth. “I encouraged the landowners to think beyond their indiCommission Chairperson Linda Chapin was also supportvidual parcels and present something unified,” says Sellen. ive, and even pressed the county to pitch in money and staff In devising a master plan for Horizon West, Sellen and time to help finalize the presentation. Dozens of community his colleagues drew in part upon the pioneering work of Sir meetings were also held to get feedback. Ebenezer Howard (1850-1928), whose 1898 publication The next task was to convince the state Department of Garden Cities of To-Morrow described self-sufficient communiCommunity Affairs, which had the authority to approve or

INTERCONNECTED VILLAGES

ThE PLAN EMERGES

H 10 L i ve Ho r i z o nWe s t.c om

YES, ThAT’S ELVIS!

Home styles in Horizon West run the gamut. This luxurious lakefront model is offered by Ashton Woods Homes in Independence.

reject changes to local land-use plans. (The agency is now called the Division of Community Development and is part of the Department of Economic Opportunity.) Charles Gauthier, then the DCA’s director of community planning, was initially skeptical but changed his mind after seeing what Sellen and company had cooked up. “Our thought was, ‘Boy, now’s the time to get out ahead of this,’” Gauthier said in a 1998 interview with the Orlando Sentinel. “In 20 years of experience, this was the most sophisticated planning I’d seen.”

CREATIVE APPROAChES

To facilitate the project, the state and the county adopted an innovative, two-tiered approach that allowed Horizon West to bypass the cumbersome Development of Regional Impact review process. The Optional Sector Planning Program, a pilot to accommodate Horizon West and four other demonstration projects throughout the state, called for the creation of a conceptual buildout plan for the entire area. Once the sector plan was vetted and approved, it would be augmented by more targeted specific area plans for the individual villages and the Town Center. Orange County approved the conceptual plan, entitled A Village Land Use Classification and Horizon West Study Report, in July 1995. In the years that followed, specific area plans have been submitted and approved as new phases have gotten underway. Numbers tell the story. In 2012 there were 19 communities underway in Horizon West encompassing 12,077 homes. Today there are 45 communities, some complete and some underway,

Elvis Presley may have been the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. But growing up in Tupelo and Memphis, he didn’t get a chance to learn to ski. Then, in the late ‘50s, the Hillbilly Cat visited family friends at their home in Windermere, on Lake Butler. There, Elvis, without getting all shook up, learned to glide gracefully across the water. The Horizon West area remains known for beautiful recreational lakes. In fact, there are more than 200 lakes and freshwater ponds in Southwest Orange County.

encompassing 22,628 homes. And the pace is quickening.

hORSES AND GOLFERS

The appeal of Horizon West is further enhanced by two major amenities that abut it to the northeast and the southwest. In 2010, ground was broken on Phase 1 of the Horizon West SportsPlex, which abuts the development to the north and the northeast. The 220-acre site, operated by Orange County Parks and Recreation, is now used for passive and equestrian use. But County Commissioner S. Scott Boyd, whose district encompasses Horizon West, is hoping the expanse is developed into a multiuse center that features indoor and outdoor facilities for a variety of sports, including dozens of fields for baseball, softball, soccer and cricket. Abutting Horizon West to the south is the Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge, which was opened in the 1990s and has now enabled Horizon West to offer golf as an amenity without having to build a golf course. It’s just as well since Orange County National is a worldclass complex consisting of two 18-hole courses — the Panther Lake and Crooked Cat courses — as well as a 9-hole course, a 42-acre practice facility, a 22-acre lighted putting green, an on-property lodge and a beautifully appointed clubhouse with a restaurant and meeting/event facilities.

hEALThCARE AND EDuCATION

Southwest Orange has two premier hospitals, Health Central Hospital and Dr. Phillips Hospital, both operated by Orlando Health, as well as urgent-care centers operated by Health Central and Florida Hospital. Orlando Health LiveHorizonWest.co m H1 1

about Winter Garden on page 26). Windermere proper is also owns a parcel within the Horizon West Town Center, although plans for it have not been announced. nestled on an isthmus between several lakes on the beautiAdventist Health, which operates eight Florida Hospital ful Butler Chain, which includes lakes Butler, Tibet, Down, campuses across Central Florida, is building a ninth campus Sheen, Louise and Chase as well as Pocket Lake, Lake Blanche, across from Winter Garden Wauseon Bay, Lake Isleworth and Village, between Daniels Road Little Fish Lake. and S.R. 535. Florida Hospital Few areas of Central Florida Winter Garden will feature are more beautiful and unspoiled a state-of-the-art emergency than the parks and preservation department staffed 24 hours a areas found in Southwest Orange. day, seven days a week. The Tibet Butler Preserve, for The campus’s first phase, a example, contains more than three-story facility with more four miles of interpretive hiking than 75,000 square feet, will also trails and elevated boardwalks house a multispecialty physiradiating from the Vera Carter cian clinic. Other highlights will Environmental Center, which include imaging equipment, lab features wildlife exhibits and facilities and an outpatient surgihosts a special environmental cal center as well as rehabilitation studies series for fifth graders. and sports medicine. The Oakland Nature Preserve In addition to an expandencompasses 128 acres of natuing healthcare scene, educational ral shoreline on Lake Apopka, opportunities are more abundant Florida’s third-largest lake. The than ever in Southwest Orange. boardwalk to Lake Apopka is the The area is home to highly rated centerpiece, offering dramatic public and private elementary views along the lakeshore. and secondary schools as well as The preserve’s Green Trail is a Valencia College’s bustling 180loop off the boardwalk through a acre West Campus. Valencia, like shady oak hammock, where you Orlando Health, owns a parcel in The 50-foot clocktower at Independence highlights perhaps the may see antelope or emus on an the Horizon West Town Center most distinctive entryway to any Central Florida neighborhood. adjacent wildlife preserve. And for future expansion. its Uplands Trail is a network of short pathways through the sandhills that connect to the West Orange Trail. Southwest Orange County has always been both rural and urban. It’s wealthy and middle-class. It’s defined by internationally known attractions and picture-postcard small towns. Also key to the area’s appeal is its convenient transportaIt’s forward looking and steeped in history. tion network. And, of course, it’s dotted by shimmering lakes — more In addition to S.R. 429, which opened in 2005, local roads than 200 of them — along with pristine natural areas where have been completed to make getting in and out of Horizon wildlife still thrives. West a breeze. Most recently, New Independence Parkway was Today, Southwest Orange is also a regional shopping extended from the S.R. 429 interchange east for nearly a mile and dining mecca. For example, Central Florida’s famed to Schoolhouse Pond Road, which leads to the community “Restaurant Row” stretches along Sand Lake Road near the of Independence. A new four-lane north-south road, dubbed upscale Mall at Millenia with its world-class department Hamlin Grove Trail, now runs parallel to S.R. 429 from New stores — Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus — and Independence Parkway to Summerlake Park Boulevard, which premium boutiques. leads to the community of Summerlake. Southwest Orange is also home to much of Walt Disney The new roads have created a western gateway to Horizon World, including the Magic Kingdom, Downtown Disney West, making businesses around the interchange more accessiand Epcot as well as Disney’s resort properties and its four ble. But they’ve also slashed commute times for Horizon West championship golf courses. residents who work in downtown Orlando or other parts of Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando are also in Central Florida. Southwest Orange as are major shopping destinations such as the In short, Horizon West, in addition to being a self-conWest Oaks Mall and Winter Garden Village at Fowler Groves. tained community rich with its own amenities, has the added Southwest Orange encompasses three incorporated areas, advantage of a location squarely in the center of Central Winter Garden, Windermere and Oakland (see the article Florida’s most dynamic and exciting region. 

A REGION OF CONTRASTS

EASY ACCESSIBILITY

H 12 L i ve Ho r i z o n We s t.c om

MAGAZINE

map guide

The Horizon West area is blessed with an abundance of lifestyle advantages — incredible natural beauty, the world’s most popular vacation destinations, championship golf courses, well-kept neighborhoods with homes in all price ranges and a strategic location that makes all of Central Florida easily accessible. It’s the most exciting place to live now, and for decades to come. Living in the Horizon West area puts so much at your doorstep:  Water everywhere. There are literally dozens of pristine lakes for water sports of every description. The Butler Chain of Lakes is protected by the State of Florida and includes 11 distinct, interconnected bodies of water. Lake Hancock, covering 260 acres, offers miles of shoreline in the heart of Horizon West. One of the first phases of the Town Center will be located on Lake Hancock in Hamlin (see the story elsewhere in this magazine).  Attractions galore. Walt Disney World Resort hosts more visitors annually than any other attraction in the world. Everything from theme parks to gourmet restaurants to championship golf courses to five-star hotels are available at “The Happiest Place On Earth.”  World-class golf. Within minutes of your home are some of the finest courses in the country, including Bay Hill and Disney’s Lake Buena Vista, which host prestigious tournaments on the PGA Tour. In addition, Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge abuts Horizon West.  Shopping, shopping, shopping. Neighborhood centers provide for everyday needs; Winter Garden Village has a huge variety of specialty shops, big-box retailers and restaurants of every description; The Mall at Millenia offers some of the finest boutiques and department stores anywhere; and if you’re looking for a bargain, head for the outlets — no area anywhere has more choices.  Sports and recreation. There’s no need to sit still, unless you want to. Recreation for every age and interest is here — water sports on the many lakes, league sports for kids and adults, road races, training facilities, back roads for bicycling and, of course, golf.  Easy access to everything. And it’s getting easier every day. S.R. 429 runs along the north and west boundaries of the Horizon West area, providing an expressway to Disney and I-4 to the south, Florida’s Turnpike to the north, and downtown Orlando via S.R. 408 to the east. It’s all here now, and more is coming every day. 

Winter Garden Village, Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge and the region’s most popular attractions are just minutes from Horizon West. The area is known for its pristine lakes and unspoiled nature areas as well.

TildenRd Tilden Rd

Porter Rd Porter Rd

Town Center

429

TOLL TOLL

LakeButler Lake ButlerBlvd. Blvd.

4 2

535

537 537

17 6

Rd te

Bridgewater 16

9 15 Village of 8 9

6 3

Chase Rd

Lake Butler

2 2

429

TOLL TOLL

535

2 3 4 33 30 5 6 14 8 13 32 31

Black Lake

12 545 1 1 1

3 5

Rural Settlement Village

SandhillRd Sandhill Rd

AvalonRd Avalon Rd

Village A

14 15

Lake

Johns

438 438

AvalonRd Avalon Rd

Lake Apopka

n V Vinela nd R d Ga Winte r G W rd e

uet

AvalonRd Avalon Rd

Tiny Rd Tiny Rd

439

Lake Do wn

408

TOLL TOLL

438 438

Lake County

429

545

AvalonRd Avalon Rd

192

Village I

545

25 Hickorynut Village

Orange County

TOLL TOLL

24 23

429

TOLL TOLL

11 28

Bay Lake

8 535

Lake Mabel

Wiinn W tteerrG G aradre dneVn inVeiln aenlda nRd

Osceola County

Orange County

Resort

Wo r l d

Disney

Wa l t

Ree aamm ssR Rdd

27 10

Lakeside Village

Fic

21 22

Western Western Way Way

d eel lRRd Seeiidd

Village F

Lake Sheen

Lake T ibet

535

435

S. Apopka S. ApopkaVineland Vineland Rd Rd

417

TOLL TOLL

Big Sand Lake

(D.R. Horton, KB Home, Lennar Homes, Beazer Homes)

(Taylor Morrison Homes)

(Ashton Woods Homes, Lennar, Taylor Morrison Homes)

(Meritage Homes)

(D. R. Horton)

(Lennar Homes)

25 Waterleigh

26 Windermere Sound

(Ashton Woods Homes)

(Pulte Homes)

(KB Home)

(M/I Homes)

(Taylor Morrison Homes)

24 Watermark

23 Latham Park

22 Lakeview Pointe

21 Lake Hancock Preserve

20 Summerlake Groves

(Standard Pacific Homes)

(Meritage Homes)

17 Twinwaters

18 Bradford Creek

(Meritage Homes)

16 Windermere Trails

15 Avalon Reserve

(M/I Homes)

14 Hickory Hammock

(Royal Oaks Homes)

(Ryan Homes)

(Royal Oak Homes)

(Ashton Woods Homes)

(KB Home)

13 Sweet Water at Summerport

12 Black Lake Preserve

11 Peachtree Park

10 Mabel Bridge

9 Enclave at Windermere Landing (Meritage Homes)

8 Summerlake

7 Overlook at Hamlin

6 Independence

(KB Home)

4 Alexander Ridge

(Lennar Homes)

(Standard Pacific Homes)

(Meritage Homes, Standard Pacific Homes)

(Taylor Morrison Homes)

2 Waterside on Johns Lake

Communities

(Toll Brothers)

31 Casabella at Windermere

Stoneybrook West Village (Publix)

Orange Lake Town Center (Publix)

Crossroads Shopping Center

Downtown Disney

11 12

Market at Lakeside Village (Publix)

Walgreens

Cornerstone at Summerport (Publix)

The Cascades of Isleworth

Windermere

Walgreens

Winter Garden Village

(KB Home)

Plantation Grove Shopping Center (Publix)

Shopping

33 Orchard Park

(Toll Brothers)

30 Toll Brothers at Waterstone 32 Toll Brothers at Bellaria

(Toll Brothers)

(Pulte Homes)

(Ashton Woods Homes)

29 Royal Cypress Preserve

28 Royal Estates

27 Ashlin Park

Communities (continued)

Bay Hill Club Keene’s Pointe Golf Club Orange County National Golf Center Grand Cypress Golf Club Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course Disney’s Osprey Ridge Golf Course Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course Waldorf Astoria Golf Club

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

SunRidge Elementary School Lake Whitney Elementary School West Orange High School Florida Hospital (opening 2014) Whispering Oak Elementary School Windermere Elementary School Foundation Academy Keene’s Crossing Elementary School Bridgewater Middle School Windermere Prep School Sunset Park Elementary School

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Schools/Hospitals

Isleworth Country Club

West Orange Country Club

Windermere Country Club

2 3

Stoneybrook West Golf Club

MAGAZINE

Tibet-Butler Preserve and Nature Center

Public Boat Launch

Orange County Sports Complex (planned)

Braddock Park Ballfields

Lake Down Boat Ramp

Windermere Little League

George Bailey Park

Roper YMCA

Parks/Recreation

Golf/Attractions

NEW-HOME COMMUNITIES IN THE HORIZON WEST AREA. ALEXANDER RiDGE

ThE oVERLooK AT hAMLiN

 Lennar Homes, from the mid-$200s. Amenities include a pool, cabana and lawn maintenance.

 Taylor Morrison, from the high $200s. Amenities include access to Lake Hancock for water sports, walking and bicycling trails, parks and proximity to the planned Town Center.

AShLiN PARK  Grand opening! Ashton Woods Homes. Amenities include a planned pool and clubhouse.

AVALoN RESERVE  Royal Oak Homes, from the $290s. Amenities include a playground, park and tot lot.

ToLL BRoThERS AT BELLARiA  Toll Brothers, from the $800s. Amenities include a gated entrance and playground.

BLACK LAKE PRESERVE

PEAChTREE PARK  Ashton Woods Homes, from the low $300s.

ThE RESERVE AT CARRiAGE PoiNT  Taylor Morrison, from the $300s. Amenities include a gated entrance, tot lot and ballfield.

RoYAL CYPRESS PRESERVE  Grand opening! Toll Brothers. Amenities include a clubhouse, pool, fitness center, proposed boat ramp.

RoYAL ESTATES

 Royal Oak Homes, coming soon.

 Pulte Homes, from the mid-$300s. Amenities include a waterfront pool and cabana.

BRADFoRD CREEK

SUMMERLAKE

 Standard Pacific Homes, from the $300s. Amenities include two parks.

 Toll Brothers, from the $800s. Amenities include a gated entrance, community park and playground.

 Beazer Homes, from the low $200s.  KB Home, from the mid$200s.  Lennar Homes, from the high $200s.  D.R. Horton, from the high $200s.  Cam Bradford Homes, lakefront homes from the $500s. Amenities include a lakefront clubhouse, fitness center, activities room, resort-style swimming pool and sundeck and playground.

ThE CoVE AT hAMLiN

SUMMERLAKE GRoVES

CASABELLA AT WiNDERMERE

 Grand opening! Taylor Morrison. Amenities include a planned clubhouse, fitness center, pool, playground, parks and trails.

 Grand opening! M/I Homes. Amenities include a planned pool, cabana, tennis and basketball courts.

ENCLAVE AT WiNDERMERE LANDiNG

SWEET WATER AT SUMMERPoRT

 Meritage Homes, from the high $300s. Amenities include a community park.

 Ryan Homes, from the mid-$200s. Amenities include a clubhouse, pool, neighborhood parks, walking and bicycling trails.

hiCKoRY hAMMoCK

TWiNWATERS

 M/I Homes, from the $280s. Amenities include a pool, clubhouse, tennis courts and playground.

 Meritage Homes, coming soon. Amenities include a planned playground, park, pool and cabana.

iNDEPENDENCE

ThE ViNEYARDS

 Ashton Woods Homes, from the $500s.  City Homes, from the low $200s.  Lennar Homes, from the low $200s.  Taylor Morrison, from the mid-$500s. Amenities include two clubhouses and swimming pools, fitness center, children’s game arcade, tennis courts, basketball courts, bicycling and walking trails.

 KB Home, from the $260s to mid-$300s. Amenities include a planned pool/cabana and tot lot.

JohNS LAKE PoiNTE

WATERMARK

 Meritage Homes, from the $260s to high $300s.  Standard Pacific Homes, from the $400s. Amenities include a clubhouse, fitness center, pool, tennis courts and playground.

LAKE hANCoCK PRESERVE

WATERLEiGh  Grand opening! D.R. Horton.  Meritage Homes, from the mid-$200s. Amenities include a clubhouse, pool, amphitheater, fitness center, playground and tennis courts.

WATERSiDE oN JohNS LAKE

 Grand opening! KB Home. Amenities include two planned parks and a tot lot.

 Standard Pacific Homes, from the $300s to more than $1 million. Amenities include lakefront homesites on Johns Lake; a lakefront park and boat dock are planned.

LAKEViEW PoiNTE

ToLL BRoThERS AT WATERSToNE

 Pulte Homes, coming soon. Amenities include a planned pool, clubhouse and park.

LAThAM PARK  Grand opening! Ashton Woods Homes. Amenities include a planned pool and clubhouse.

MABEL BRiDGE  KB Home, from the mid $300s. Amenities include a family recreation center with clubhouse, pool and putting green.

oRChARD PARK  Grand opening! KB Home, from the $290s. Amenities include a pool, cabana, tot lot, sport field and dog park.

 Toll Brothers, from the low $1 millions. Gated community on Lake Butler.

WiNDERMERE SoUND  Lennar Homes, from the low $200s. Amenities include a pool, tennis and basketball courts and a tot lot.

WiNDERMERE TRAiLS  Meritage Homes, from the $260s. Amenities include miles of walking trails, fitness area, tot lot and dog park.

NEW LUXURY COMMUNITY C O M I N G E A R LY 2 0 1 5

• New gated community with elegant home designs and resort-style amenities • Ideal location close to shopping, entertainment, and major highways • All exterior yard maintenance, including irrigation, fertilization, and lawn care, is included in the low homeowners’ dues

(407) 658-9903

Join Our VIP List at

TollBrothers.com/HW

Brokers welcome. Homes available nationwide. Prices subject to change without notice. Photos are images only and should not be relied upon to confirm applicable features. Offers, incentives, and seller contributions are subject to certain terms, conditions, and restrictions. This is not an offering where prohibited by law. BUILDER magazine, May 2014. CGC055953.

AFFORDABLE TOWNHOMES IN WONDERFUL WINDERMERE TRAILS An Exciting, Exclusive Mattamy Neighborhood Minutes from Theme Parks • Unique Townhomes with Rear Entry Garages and Private Courtyards • 3 Decorated Model Homes • Private Lakeside Setting • Pool, Splash Park, Tot Lot, Cabana and Dog Park • Acres of Natural Preserve Right in the Community • Close to Theme Parks, Golf, Shopping, Entertainment and Dining • Great Local Schools

WINDERMERE

Townhomes From the Low to Mid $200s

SALES CENTER: Reams Rd & Silverlake Park Dr. Windermere, FL 34786 855-310-9819

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR COMMUNITIES REGISTER AT MATTAMYHOMES.COM Follow us: SALES CENTER HOURS: Sunday - Monday 12 pm - 6 pm & Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 6 pm All illustrations are artist’s concept. All dimensions are approximate. Prices, specifications, terms and conditions subject to change without notice. E.&O.E. Builder’s #CGC1512500.

LET’S HEAD TO

HAMLIN M The FirsT Phase oF horizon WesT’s ToWn CenTer is a WaTerFronT JeWel.

aking plans for the weekend? A movie or a concert would be fun, perhaps followed by a late dinner at a gourmet restaurant. How about a little window-shopping along a lively street lined with intriguing boutiques? Or a leisurely stroll along a scenic boardwalk that hugs the shores of a pristine lake? Or a bracing jaunt through a series of beautifully landscaped parks linked by a pedestrian trail network?

In the next few years, developer Scott Boyd hopes that Central Floridians looking for a relaxation destination will reflexively say: “Let’s head to Hamlin.” “We don’t have all of that in any one place in Central Florida,” says Boyd, president of Boyd Development, who’s developing Hamlin in partnership with Dallas-based Stratford Land. “Certainly nothing of this scale with so much waterfront. That’s the great opportunity we have here.” You probably haven’t heard of Hamlin yet. But the 640acre, mixed-use development, which boasts three miles of frontage along beautiful Lake Hancock, will be the heart of Horizon West’s 3,700-acre Town Center. Hamlin, which is anticipated to cost $1 billion, was kickstarted last year with the opening of two new roadways. New Independence Parkway was extended from the S.R. 429 interchange east for nearly a mile to Schoolhouse Pond Road, H 20 L i ve Ho r i z o n We st.c om

which leads to the community of Independence. A new four-lane north-south road, dubbed Hamlin Grove Trail, now runs parallel to S.R. 429 from New Independence Parkway to Summerlake Park Boulevard, which leads to the community of Summerlake. Boyd Development funded most of the $19 million in road, utility and landscape improvements. It means Horizon West residents will now enjoy dramatically shorter commutes into downtown Orlando. But it also means the New Independence Parkway interchange has become a highly desirable place for retail growth. Boyd expects that by midyear of 2015, the northeast and southeast quadrants of the exchange will encompass four major anchor retailers and at least 500,000 square feet of retail space. The entire development could have as much as 2 million square feet of retail space and as many as 1,700 homes. “The first activity will take place around the interchange,” adds Ken Kupp, a partner at Boyd Development, who noted

s.r. 429

commerciaL deveLopment neW independence parkWay

commerciaL deveLopment

HamLin groves traiL

Top: Here comes Hamlin. This aerial view, looking north, shows where the first phase of commercial development will take place, at the interchange of S.R. 429 and New Independence Parkway.

that some 40,000 people already call Horizon West home. Plus, 50,000 employees of Walt Disney World, just two exits off S.R. 429 to the south, are potential customers for businesses that will be jockeying for space as development gets underway. Boyd and Kupp are eagerly looking ahead to the followup phase, which will focus on the 28-acre area around Lake Hancock. There they expect to develop a delightful small town with an Old Florida feel and plenty of inviting parks and public areas, which they say is crucial in creating a sense of place. Visitors can look forward to an array of retail and dining experiences as well as a boardwalk and a small marina so the area can be reached by boat. The boardwalk will link to a multiuse trail system and a lakefront park accessible by foot, bike or golf cart. Boyd has already spent millions on monument-style signage, four-board fencing and landscaping with primarily indigenous plants. The expenditure wasn’t necessary yet, says Boyd, whose joint venture bought the land for $30 million in 2011. But they wanted to make a statement about the quality of the development. “To become a destination, a place has to have personality,” adds Kupp, who notes that despite all the lakes in Central Florida, most people can’t access them unless they own a waterfront home. “It has to have character, interesting architecture and great public spaces.” Clearly, Boyd and Kupp are viewing Hamlin as a legacy project. Boyd notes that the land was bought in cash, from one seller — insurance giant AIG — so it isn’t burdened by debt. And as a private venture, there aren’t far-flung investors

demanding an instant return. “We don’t have to be in a hurry,” Boyd says. “We can do something that will stand the test of time.” Plus, he adds, Boyd Development intends to remain and manage the property once it’s built out. Still, none of that means Hamlin is going to develop at a particularly leisurely pace. Boyd and Kupp say that the entire project will be largely complete within five years. Hamlin may be the first out of the gate in the Horizon West Town Center, but plenty more is coming. The Town Center site totals 3,700 acres, 1,200 acres of which is developable, just west of the Village of Bridgewater. Plans call for 6,400 homes, 5.7 million square feet of office space, 2.1 million square feet of retail space, 384,000 square feet of warehouse and light industrial space, and 1,200 hotel rooms with a conference center. Health Central and Valencia College also own Town Center tracts. The Town Center will be divided into four distinct districts, each with a specific use:  Retail and Wholesale District. Will include big-box retailers, restaurants and businesses of all varieties.  Corporate Campus and Mixed-Use District. Will include a mix of offices and homes in campus-like and neighborhood settings.  Corporate Neighborhood Center District. Will include neighborhood retailers, service businesses and civic facilities.  Traditional Town Center District. Will include retailers, cultural venues, educational facilities anchored by Valencia College and a waterfront park as well as some 1,140 homes.  LiveHorizonWest.com H21

Waterfront living in Winter Garden – New floorplans ranging from 1,700 – 5,100 sq ft

Natural settings, old Florida charm and waterfront living – these are a few words that describe life in the community of Hamlin. Nestled among 30,000 acres of former citrus groves lies beautifully appointed homes that include desirable features inspired by homeowners like you. If you are looking for a new home in Winter Garden, an exceptional opportunity is waiting for you at Overlook at Hamlin or the Cove at Hamlin. Visit us today!

– Community clubhouse with open-air pavilion, resort-style pool and splash pad, lakefront park and amphitheatre – Award-winning school district – Integrated park system, recreational amenities and lakefront town center – Located on State Road 429, with easy access to downtown Orlando and area attractions – New homes from the mid $200s

7 7 1 9 M I N U T E M E N L O O P | W I N T E R G A R D E N , F L 3 4 7 8 7 | 4 0 7. 9 0 5 . 4 6 5 1 T AY L O R M O R R I S O N . C O M All incentives, pricing, availability and plans subject to change or delay without notice. Please see a Taylor Morrison Sales Associate for details and visit www.taylormorrison.com for additional disclaimers. © August, 2014, Taylor Morrison of Florida, Inc. All rights reserved.

H 22 L i ve Ho r i z o nWe s t.c om

Live The Resort Lifestyle From The Low $200s

TOUR 9 MODELS AND LAKEFRONT CLUBHOUSE!

Florida Turnpike

Summerlake combines the relaxing, resort lifestyle with a huge variety of homes priced from the low $200s to the $600s by four top homebuilders. Find the perfect home for your family — on the lake, across from a park, or close to the Clubhouse and Fitness Center. Visit our beautiful 9-home model center next to the lakefront Clubhouse and swimming pool and you will understand why “It’s Great to Live at Summerlake!” n

Clubhouse, Fitness Center and Resort-style pool.

Tennis and basketball courts, plus zip line for kids.

Neighborhood parks and dog parks.

New townhomes by Beazer Homes coming soon from the low $200s.

A fabulous selection of single family homes from the high $200s.

Homes available for immediate occupancy.

Single Family Homes From the mid $200s

Winter Garden Village

535 EXIT 15

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Ficquette

545

. Rd

535

Porter Rd.

Orange County National Golf Center

Re am sR d .

Townhomes and Single Family Homes From the low $200s

429

WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT

GPS ADDRESS: 8016 Pond Apple Dr.,Winter Garden, FL 34787

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407-614-5997

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SummerLakeFlorida.com Home and community information, including pricing, features, terms, availability and amenities are subject to change and prior sale at any time without notice or obligation. Pictures, photographs, features, colors and sizes are approximate for illustration purposes only and will vary from the home built.

Orange County Commissioner Scott Boyd at the circa-1880s headquarters of the citrus-growing company his family has owned for generations.

S DeeP

rooTs Commissioner BoyD says The BesT is yeT To Come.

H 24 L i ve Ho r i z o nWe s t.c om

cott Boyd’s Orange County roots are as deep as those of the citrus trees he tended as a youngster. Boyd, 45, is now the county commissioner for District 1, which encompasses Horizon West. And he’s seen plenty of changes in the sprawling district, where his family has grown citrus for six generations. “I remember on freeze nights, running around lighting smudge pots,” says Boyd, who was first elected in 2008 and is now serving his second four-year term on the Board of County Commissioners. “I’d start out wearing a coat, but in a few hours I’d be down to shorts because of all the running around the heat from the pots.” Boyd’s family includes some of Southwest Orange County’s pioneers, including Luther F. Tilden, a farmer from New York who settled on the south side of Lake Apopka in 1887 and began one of the region’s first farming and packing operations. The community of Tildenville carries the family name. He’s also related to Judge James G. Speer, who came to Central Florida from South Carolina in 1854 and was largely

responsible for Orlando becoming the Orange County seat. Now he’s focused on creating amenities for all those newAccording to some local historians, Speer may have actually comers, such as the proposed 200-acre-plus Orange County named the city for a character in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. “I Sports Complex at the northeast edge of Horizon West, and took the oath of office on Judge Speer’s old bible,” Boyd recalls. the district’s trail system, which he hopes eventually joins HoClearly, Boyd has an emotional investment in the district rizon West with the already-popular West Orange Trail. he represents. He grew up near Oakland and attended TildenBoyd, who’s unrelated to the Scott Boyd developing Hamville elementary School, Lakeview Junior High (now Lakelin in Horizon West, ran for county commission after being view Middle School) and West Orange High School. appointed to a two-year stint on the Orange County Building The family company, McKinnon Corporation, still owns Codes Board of Adjustments and Appeals. “I found out that about 100,000 acres of agricultural property in Orange, Lake, on these volunteer boards, you can really make a difference,” Hendry and Collier counties. And it’s still headquartered he says. in Winter Garden, operating out of the same Cracker-style He left the McKinnon Corporation after he was elected. frame house where it began in the 1880s. Today he works as public relations director for ClermontWhen Boyd started working at the company, it was run by based Vista Clinical Diagnostics. He’s also a licensed realhis step-grandfather, the late Dan McKinnon, and his father, estate broker. Maury Boyd. “They believed in startMaury Boyd, a cancer survivor, ing you at the bottom rung,” Boyd is still president of the McKinnon “It’s a great place to live and recalls with a chuckle. “I was hoeing, Corporation, and has in recent years raise a family. You’ve got the mowing, servicing equipment — you become something of a legend in name it.” the citrus industry for his method of theme parks, but you’ve also got He attended Valenica Commutreating groves for huanglongbing, beautiful lakes, rolling hills and nity College (now Valencia College) more commonly known as HLB or and Florida State University, where “citrus greening.” terrific towns and cities.” he graduated in 1993 with a B.A. in HLB is the most serious disease a criminology. But instead of pursuing a career in law enforcecitrus tree can contract, and threatened the industry statewide ment, he returned to Winter Garden to work in the family until the “Boyd method” of combining aggressive doses of business, eventually becoming vice president. insecticides and nutrition sprays seemed to reverse the effects Boyd admits that his home “felt like it was a long way away” of the disease. from Orlando when he was young. He regularly rode his bike to The younger Boyd, a single father of two young boys — Rithe Pine Hills Dairy Queen, and remembers when Sand Lake Road ley, 12, and Mason, 9 — is making a difference in his own way. and S.R. 535, now major thoroughfares, were two-lane roads. He serves as secretary/treasurer of MetroPlan Orlando and Southwest Orange County doesn’t feel nearly as remote vice chairman of the West Orange/South Lake Transportathese days. In fact, Boyd’s district, which also includes Dr. tion and economic Development Task Force. He’s also been Phillips, Gotha, Hunter’s Creek, Lake Buena Vista, Metronamed vice chairman of the newly formed Central Florida West, Ocoee, Oakland, Windermere and Williamsburg, is at expressway Authority Board. the epicenter of a development boom that will only accelerate “West Orange is a great part of the county,” says Boyd, a Reas Horizon West picks up speed. publican who’s reluctant to speculate about his political future He welcomes the growth, in part because many homeowners beyond his stint as a commissioner. “It’s a great place to live and found themselves living in depreciating, half-finished subdivisions raise a family. You’ve got the theme parks, but you’ve also got beautiful lakes, rolling hills and terrific towns and cities.”  when the economy collapsed and building came to a screeching halt.

MAGAZINE

The horizon WesT CoaliTion

Horizon West Magazine is a free publication underwritten by the Horizon West Coalition, a group of businesspeople promoting the continued planned growth in the Horizon West area. To learn more about the Horizon West Coalition, go to LiveHorizonWest.com. Anyone interested in joining the organization may call Chip Webb with Tramell Webb Partners at 407-420-4792. Florida Homebuyer Orlando, publisher of Horizon West Magazine, is an award-winning new-home publication from Florida Home Media LLC. The company also publishes real-estate maps and maintains a comprehensive database of new homes at its website, thefloridahomebuyer.com. For more information call 407-448-8414.

RANDY NOLeS

groUp pUBLisHer

THeReSA SWANSON pUBLisHer

JeNNA CARBeRG art director

STALDeR/GReeN ADVeRTISING

Horizon West coaLition marketing

on tHe cover: There are numerous opportunities for breathtaking views and lakefront living in Horizon West. Cover photo and all aerials by Paul Simpson, DronePhotosFl.com. LiveHorizonWest.com H25

SMALL-TOWN

flavor hisToriC WinTer GarDen is BoTh haPPily hiP anD reFreshinGly reTro.

estled on the southern shore of Lake Apopka, quaint Winter Garden refers to itself as “the charming little city with a juicy past.” Juicy, in this context, refers to citrus, the industry that sustained this once-remote Southwest Orange County outpost for much of the past century. Now, however, Winter Garden boasts nearly 40,000 residents, few of whom have any connection with oranges beyond sipping a cold glass of the golden nectar with their breakfast croissants.

At the heart of the city is its vibrant Downtown Historic District, one of the most interesting and picturesque of any in the region. The district, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996, encompasses about 100 acres bounded by Woodland, Tremaine, Henderson and Lake View streets. Plant Street, the city’s lively main drag, is the heart of Winter Garden and has emerged as one of the most desirable destinations in Central Florida to dine, shop and stroll. Residents of Horizon West, of course, will enjoy their own Village Centers and a major Town Center. But the development’s adjacency to refreshingly retro Winter Garden offers yet another, decidedly different diversion for area newcomers. early settlers of Winter Garden were primarily farmers, and not just of citrus. A year-round growing season, fertile soil and easy access to railroads serving northern markets meant that agriculture of all varieties flourished. Later, as Central Florida’s economy became more dependent H 26 L i ve Ho r i z o nWe s t.c om

upon tourism, the city’s proximity to Walt Disney World and other attractions provided another economic shot in the arm. But it’s fair to say that Winter Garden didn’t really come into its own until the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy was established in 1986. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit worked with local governments around the country to convert abandoned rail beds into trails for walking, hiking and biking. One result of that effort was the popular West Orange Trail, a 22-mile route that rambles right through the middle of Plant Street. In fact, the Winter Garden Station quickly emerged as a favorite stop for thousands of trail users every month. Local boosters and businesspeople were happy to welcome the visitors, many of whom had never before been to Winter Garden and were delighted by its picture-postcard ambience and its neighborly attitude. Today, about 1.3 million people annually visit downtown Winter Garden, which has become a cultural and commercial

Among downtown Winter Garden’s many attractions is the restored Garden Theater and an array of boutiques and restaurants that flank Centennial Plaza.

capital of Southwest Orange County. And there’s plenty to do have a chance to share a moment with Pinkie, the neighborly and see. pet pig who enjoys free run of the store. And the Heritage Foundation operates two museums: The The lovingly restored Garden Theatre, a circa-1930s movie Winter Garden Heritage Museum, located in the old Atlantic house, is located in the heart of the Historic District. Now a performing-arts center, it hosts live theater, dance and musical Coast Line Depot, and the Central Florida Railroad Museum, programs as well as the annual Starlight Film Festival, which located in the old Tavares & Gulf Railroad Depot. Both of the celebrates inventive, micro-budget productions. museums offer free admission. In addition, the city partnered with The Winter Garden Farmers Market, the Winter Garden Arts Association to which won an “America’s Favorite” award convert the old Boyd Street Fire Station from America’s Farmland Trust a couple into a hub for visual art that now houses of years back, is held every Saturday and a gallery and a teaching facility. It’s the features locally grown produce, fresh first step toward creation of an Art and flowers, baked goods and even live enDesign District, which will offer artists tertainment. both living space and studio space. Coming soon: a $2 million microIn addition, Winter Garden has become brewery and artisan market, to be built Winter Garden was the hub for Southwest something of a mecca for foodies. There Orange County’s citrus industry a century ago. further up Plant Street. The microbreware an array of regionally recognized resery, part of a proposed project known as taurants, including the critically acclaimed Chef’s Table at the the Plant Street Market, would stretch the downtown west edgewater Hotel, where you can savor the likes of foie gras, tertwo blocks to Park Avenue. rine with over-toasted brioche and apricot balsamic gastrique. Boosters say the Plant Street Market and brewery will be Then there’s the fire-grilled filet with celery root and pocomparable to the east end Market in the Audubon Park tato purée at Thai Blossom, the seared tuna and homemade neighborhood of Orlando, at which an erstwhile church has soup at the Moon Cricket Café and what’s been acclaimed by been transformed into a showcase for culinary artists and has various critics as some of the best pizza in Central Florida at become a dining destination. family owned Winter Garden Pizza Company. Trains still play an important role in Winter Garden. On Sure, it’s all very hip — except when it isn’t. Need to stock weekends, The Cannonball Express, a restored 1907 steamup on insecticides? Get a bottle of tail and mane shampoo for powered locomotive, makes eight-mile passenger runs beyour horses or a 50-pound bag of feed for your catfish farm? tween Ocoee and Winter Garden ($20 adults, $15 for chilTry Winter Garden Feed & Seed. With any luck, you may dren 4 to 12).  H 28 L i ve Ho r i z o n We s t.c om

Among Watermark’s amenities is a spectacular, 5,500-square-foot clubhouse with a state-of-the-art fitness center and a zero-entry pool.

WATERMARK I

RESORT-STYLE MERITAGE COMMUNITY IS LIKE BEING ON VACATION ALL YEAR.

f the idea of being on vacation 365 days a year appeals to you, then you’ll want to check out Watermark, a dazzling community by Meritage Homes where the amenities are what you’d expect to find at a five-star resort. For starters, there’ll be a 5,500-square-foot clubhouse with a roof party deck. From that vantage point, you’ll be able to relax, socialize with friends, neighbors and family, and enjoy the nightly fireworks display from nearby Disney World. The clubhouse will encompass a state-of-the-art fitness center with lavish meeting and event space. There’ll also be a 4,000-square-foot, zero-entry pool with an interactive splash pad as well as an amphitheater with terraced seating areas. In addition you’ll enjoy tennis courts, a playground, a firepit and much more — all surrounded by lush greenspace. If all that weren’t enough, Watermark will surround 35-acre Village Center. The complex will combine more than 200,000 square feet of

retail space with apartments and condominiums. And the community is right off Seidel Road, just minutes from S.R. 429 (the Western Beltway), C.R. 535 and I-4. Downtown Orlando is just 30 minutes away, and other major employment centers are easy to access. In addition to being close to the region’s major attractions, Watermark is also near Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge and historic downtown Winter Garden, with its boutiques, restaurants, museums and special events. The homes are typical Meritage: clean, elegant designs that are Energy Star-certified to ensure energy efficiency. In fact, Meritage was the first national builder to make all of its homes 100 percent Energy Star-compliant, and consistently exceeds Energy Star requirements. There’ll be about a dozen floorplans from which to choose, ranging from charming 1,758-square-foot bungalows with welcoming front porches to 5,600-square-foot estates with three-car garages. Two decorated models are set to open in November.

NOW PRESELLING! MERITAGEHOMES.COM

FROM $229,990