Lake Nona Update 2021

A SPECIAL SECTION OF

HOME CENTRAL FLORIDA EDITION

BUYER

LAKE NONA UPDATE W HAT’S NEW AN D WH AT’S COMI N G I N A N D AR OU N D THE REGIO N ’S FASTE ST-GR OW I N G COMMU N I TY.

25 Minutes From Medical City

Central Florida’s Next Great Place to Live

New Models Opening This Summer!

Homes are ready now at Tohoqua, a 730-acre master planned community that is fast becoming Central Florida’s favorite place to live. Tohoqua has it all – great amenities; nearby schools, shopping, parks and health care; and a wonderful selection of homes from the mid $200s to $400s. And best of all, it’s just 25 minutes from Medical City and Orlando International Airport.

Amenities include a resort-style pool, Clubhouse with an events room, Fitness Center, tennis courts, kids playground and more than 9 miles of walking and bike trails are planned. Excellent schools are nearby -- Nepture Middle School is across the street, Neptune Elementary is less than 5 minutes and Gateway High 10 minutes. An array of shopping and recreation are within 5-10 minutes, and 4 hospitals are 10 minutes away.

Now is the time to discover Tohoqua – Lennar Homes and Pulte Homes are both opening new Model Centers soon. Come see why Tohoqua is the Next Great Place to Live in Central Florida.

New Homes from the mid $200s to $400s. Go to Tohoqua.com for more information, photos and floor plans.

Homes Available Now. Models Open Soon.

Single Family homes from the $300s.

866-495-4059

Models Open This Summer. Single Family homes for families from the $300s.

407-550-5534

Models Open This Summer. Homes for active adults at Tohoqua Reserve.

407-554-5373

Townhomes and Single Family homes from the mid $200s.

407-845-9293

Developer reserves the right to make changes to the amenities and community plans without prior notice. Prices, terms, features, amenities and availability subject to change without notice. Please consult a representative of one of the participating builders for homesite statuses, home pricing and availability. Copyright © 2021 Tohoqua Marketing LLC. All rights reserved.

HOME CENTRAL FLORIDA EDITION

BUYER

THERESA SWANSON Group Publisher/Director of Sales RANDY NOLES Editor and Publisher PHYLLIS M. MILLER Director of Administration CAROLYN EDMUNDS Art Director MYRON CARDEN Distribution Manager MICHAEL CANDELARIA, MARY SHANKLIN Contributing Writers HARRY WESSEL Contributing Editor MICHAEL LOWRY PHOTOGRAPHY, GREENLANDO CONSULTING, UNEEK IMAGE Contributing Photographers WI N TE R PA R K P U B LI S H I N G COMPA NY LLC RANDY NOLES Chief Executive Officer ALLAN E. KEEN Co-Chairman, Board of Managers JANE HAMES Co-Chairman, Board of Managers THERESA SWANSON Vice Chairman, Board of Managers MICHAEL OKATY, ESQ. General Counsel, Foley & Lardner LLP C O M M U N I TY P A RT NERS Larry and Joanne Adams; The Albertson Company, Ltd.; Richard O. Baldwin Jr.; Jim and Diana Barnes; Brad Blum; Ken and Ruth Bradley; John and Dede Caron; Bruce Douglas; Steve Goldman; Hal George; Michael Gonick; Micky Grindstaff; Sharon and Marc Hagle; Larry and Jane Hames; Eric and Diane Holm; Garry and Isis Jones; Allan E. and Linda S. Keen; Knob Hill Group (Rick and Trish Walsh, Jim and Beth DeSimone, Chris Schmidt); FAN Fund; Kevin and Jacqueline Maddron; Drew and Paula Madsen; Kenneth J. Meister; Ann Hicks Murrah; Jack Myers; Michael P. O’Donnell; Nicole and Mike Okaty; Bill and Jody Orosz; Martin and Ellen Prague; Serge and Kerri Rivera; Jon C. and Theresa Swanson; Sam and Heather Stark; Randall B. Robertson; George Sprinkel; Philip Tiedtke; Roger K. Thompson; Ed Timberlake; Harold and Libby Ward; Warren “Chip” Weston; Tom and Penny Yochum; and Victor and Jackie A. Zollo.

M E M B E RS O F

WELCOME TO LAKE NONA If you want to see what the future is going to look like — if we’re lucky, that is — head to southeast Orlando and check out Lake Nona.

Orlando’s fastest growing community with more than 16,000 residents, Lake Nona is a 17-square-mile, master-planned community that’s home to a wide variety of unique, desirable and walkable neighborhoods. From apartment homes — including the Orlando market’s first micro-units — to colorful townhomes, modern active-adult condos, sustainable single-family homes and sprawling estate homes, there’s truly something for everyone.

Lake Nona is designed to foster wellbeing and promote activity, sustainability, social connection and learning. Recognized by the Global Wellness Institute as “the most sophisticated example in the world of what master-planning for wellness can accomplish,” Lake Nona was built from the ground up with a commitment to the health of its residents.

It’s an intergenerational, family-friendly ecosystem with 40 percent green space, parks on every corner, pools in every neighborhood, dedicated cycling lanes and more than 44 miles of walking trails. Autonomous vehicles traverse its streets.

This neo-urban environment inspires institutions, people and businesses to thrive. To that end, Lake Nona is education obsessed. A collaborative learning environment is designed to give students the ability to engage in real-time interactions with researchers, doctors, professors and businesses within the community.

Top-rated schools, from early childhood to the graduate level, serve more than 14,000 students. In addition, Lake Nona was the first gigabit community in Florida, offering residents lightning-fast internet speeds up to 200 times faster than the U.S. average.

Home to Medical City, diverse workspaces, recreational facilities and a thriving Town Center, Lake Nona is an inspired vision brought to life by Tavistock Development Co., an award-winning, diversified real-estate firm owned by Tavistock Group. To learn more about Lake Nona, visit lakenona.com.

Contact Us Homebuyer: Central Florida Edition 201 West Canton Avenue, Suite 125B Winter Park, Florida 32789 Phone: 407-647-0225 thefloridahomebuyer.com Homebuyer: Central Florida Edition Summer 2021 is published quarterly by Winter Park Publishing Company LLC, 201 West Canton Avenue, Suite 125B, Winter Park, Florida 32789. Copyright 2021 by Winter Park Publishing Company LLC. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Send all correspondence to Homebuyer: Central Florida Edition, 201 West Canton Avenue, Suite 125B, Winter Park, Florida 32789. Unsolicited manuscripts without return postage will not be returned. DISCLAIMER: Advertisements in this publication do not constitute an offer for sale in any state or country where prohibited or restricted by law.

A SPECIAL SECTION OF

HOME CENTRAL FLORIDA EDITION

BUYER

LAKE NONA UPDATE WH AT ’S NE W A N D W HAT’S CO M I N G I N A N D A R O U N D T H E R E GIO N ’S FA STEST-GR O W I N G CO M M U N I TY.

ON THE COVER: Currently under construction, the Wave Hotel is scheduled to open later this year. The 17-story tower, located in the Lake Nona Town Center, will include 239 guest rooms and suites, a fitness center, a rooftop pool, a signature restaurant and more than 5,400 square feet of meeting and event space.

S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A MC3

CENTRAL FLORIDA’S

Hometown BUILDER

New Possibilites Are Around The Corner Convenient locations, a wide array of contemporary home designs and fabulous designer features. Park Square Homes builds dream homes to suit every lifestyle and time of life from Central to Southwest Florida.

Join our VIP list today: 844.774.4636 ParkSquareHomes.com

New Communities

APOLLO BEACH

ORLANDO

MIRASOL POINTE AT MIRABAY Single Family Homes

VALENCIA ISLES Townhomes

APOPKA

PARKDALE PLACE Single Family Homes

EMERSON PARK Townhomes

HAINES CITY CYPRESS PARK ESTATES Single Family Homes TARPON BAY, PHASE II Single Family Homes

OVIEDO

MT. DORA SUMMERBROOKE Single Family Homes

WESLEY CHAPEL

Wyndrush Creek Townhomes

Pictures, photographs, colors, features, and sizes are for illustration purposes only and will vary from the homes as built. Home and community information including pricing, included features, terms, availability and amenities are subject to change and prior sale at any time without notice or obligation. This material shall not constitute a valid offer in any state prior registration is required or if void by law. See New Home Counselor for details. CRC 1330351 CGC 1520474

MAKE YOUR

Best MOVE NEW SMYRNA BEACH

STETSON UNIVERSITY

17

75

1 LAKE EUSTIS

4

2

LAKE MONROE

MT. DORA

S

TOLL

453

LAKE HARRIS

WEKIWA SPRINGS STATE PARK

W LAKE MARY BLVD

4

N RONALD REAGAN BLVD

TOLL

429

ALTAMONTE MALL

75

5

LAKE APOPKA

4

3

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

6

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT

75

THE MALL AT MILLENIA 4

FLORIDA MALL

TOLL

429

TOLL

408

TOLL

TOLL

528

BEACHLINE EXPWY 528

528

ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

PREMIUM OUTLETS

TO BEACHES

SEAWORLD TOLL

WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT

417

PREMIUM OUTLETS

4

ceo E Os

wy la Pk

EAST LAKE TOHO

7

8

MIA MI

9

44 275

LAKE TOHOPEKALIGA

10

4

75 Lake Gibson

11 Lake Parker

4

275

Lakeland

12

17

4

4 Selmon Expressway

275

13

75

St. Petersburg 275

14

15

1

75 Lake Parrish

16

275

17

Compass Landing

7

Wyndrush Creek Pre-Selling!

2

SummerBrooke New Community

8

Aviana

3

Woodbury

9

RedBridge Square

4

Emerson Park

5

Parkdale Place

6

Valencia Isles

New Community

10

New Community

Tarpon Bay, Phase II

13

Fishhawk Ranch

14

Waterset

15

New Community

Bradenton

New Community

Cypress Park Estates

12

11

TerraLargo

Mirasol Pointe at Mirabay New Community

16

North River Ranch

17

Trevesta

Sarasota 75

Built for Family, by Family.

Home and community information including pricing, included features, terms, availability and amenities are subject to change and prior sale at any time without notice or obligation. This material shall not constitute a valid offer in any state where prior registration is required or if void by law.

061121

LIVE, WORK, PLAY LAKE N O NA’S RAP I D R I SE H A S BEEN T H E R E SU LT OF VI SI ON , CO MMITM EN T A N D TI MI N G.

By Mary Shanklin

O

ne recent summer day, construction workers watched as svelte models poised for a photo shoot.

The unlikely pairing of hard hats and summer fedoras seemed almost ordinary in a scene punctuated by volleyballs arching upward and planes jetting overhead.

So very Lake Nona.

The photography would promote Lake Nona’s newest amenity — the Wave Hotel, a brand of its own. Nearby is a brand-new health center on which guru Deepak Chopra has served as a consultant.

The volleyballs, by the way, are shooting skyward from threetime Olympian and gold medalist Phil Dalhausser’s Beach Volleyball Academy in Boxi Park, an outdoor venue offering food truck-style eateries, live music and a playground.

Lake Nona resident Lauren Endsley, an agent with Stockworth Realty, says her clients are taken aback when they see the mash-up of a wakeboard park, public art and urban apartments set against a backdrop of grazing cattle.

“They’re just dumbfounded,” notes Endsley, who has lived in Lake Nona for 15 years. “It’s almost like they’re seeing a mirage in the desert.”

Indeed, southeast Orlando’s explosive growth might look to some like a collection of the kind of car-dependent suburbs springing up throughout the region. Its fast-evolving hub — Lake Nona, which encompasses 17,000 acres — is remote from jobs in downtown Orlando, after all.

But a satellite view doesn’t tell the full story of a community carved not that long ago out of pastureland.

One of the fastest-growing master-planned communities in the U.S., Lake Nona — which is being developed by Tavistock Development Company in south Orlando — is recognized for

MC6 S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A

its thoughtfully designed neighborhoods, top-rated education facilities, leading-edge business and research clusters, and diverse retail and entertainment centers.

Bisected by S.R. 417, Lake Nona sits southeast of the Orlando International Airport and just north of Osceola County. While thousands of residents call Lake Nona home, there also are many nonresidential projects in the community — and many more on the way.

“One thing that differentiates Lake Nona from a lot of communities is the work opportunities,” says Orlando City Commissioner Jim Gray, who’s a proud resident. “A lot of communities don’t have that aspect of live, work and play.”

When Lake Nona began to emerge about 15 years ago, the idea of investing in a community 25 miles from downtown Orlando may have seemed like a gamble. But the once-remote area has since filled with more new residents and businesses of every variety.

Gray says the reason employers like KPMG and the VA Medical Center chose to locate in Lake Nona was a recognition that Tavistock was there to stay and to create a legacy.

In addition, public-private partnerships have boosted the community’s appeal. Gray points to Orlando’s recent move to incentivize InnovaCare, a healthcare services company, to relocate from New York to Lake Nona.

Tavistock Development Vice President Rob Adams has watched what’s now one of the region’s hottest submarkets mature over the years. Now, he says, it’s become richer with options for jobs, recreation and neighborhoods.

“I see a real difference between what we were creating and the community we have now,” he notes. “We have more of a 2 0 2 1

Wave Hotel Living Room Bar

The Lake Nona Wave Hotel (above) will be the centerpiece of the Town Center, the community’s premier entertainment and shopping district.

With its curvilinear glass edges jutting 17 stories skyward, the hotel will have 239 guest rooms and bring the community new entertainment options with a restaurant, lounge and a pool that may be visited by locals. Lake Nona’s fun and funky Boxi Park (below), in which the buildings are fashioned from repurposed shipping crates, is among the first of its kind in the Southeast. Shown is an aerial view with entry towers, the lounge and the stage for live music. There’s also a playground and a beach volleyball court.

S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A MC7

There’s a reason they call it Medical City. Several reasons, in fact. The 1.2 million-square-foot Orlando VA Medical Center (top) serves the region’s 400,000 veterans by providing acute care, complex specialty care, advanced diagnostic services and a large multispecialty outpatient clinic as well as administrative and support services. The UCF College of Medicine (above left) is one of the first U.S. medical schools in decades to be built from the ground up. Included is a 170,000-square-foot medical education facility, featuring the latest in lab and classroom technology, as well as the 198,000-square-foot Burnett Biomedical Sciences building. Nemours Children’s Hospital (above right) is part of a state-of-the-art health campus that also includes Nemours Children’s Clinic, an ambulatory diagnostic center, and extensive research and education facilities. Healing gardens, nature trails, pet therapy areas and water features help create a peaceful environment that fosters both mental and physical healing.

critical mass now, with amenities and schools that are more a reflection of who’s here.”

When he walked into Foxtail Coffee, located on the ground floor of Lake Nona’s Pixon Apartments, not long after it opened in the winter of 2020, the shop seemed to instantly fill with a crowd of regulars. Adams wondered: “Where did they all go before?”

Orange County Property Appraiser Amy Mercado says that when she arrived in the Orlando area about 25 years ago, the city was well established. But Lake Nona, near where she now lives, has taken shape in an amazingly short period of time. Visiting there, she adds, always elicits moments of “where did this come from?”

“We’re seeing an entire smart city grow,” adds Mercado.

“What you’re seeing in Lake Nona is all of it happening at once — it’s its own little bubble with all its components.”

MC8 S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A

Mercado’s office saw residential property values increase about 10 percent in Lake Nona last year, surpassing the countywide increase of 6 percent. The Apopka and Oakland areas lead the county with annual population growth rates of about 15 percent — but Lake Nona leads for rising property values, she notes.

In addition to homes, here are some of Lake Nona’s other major components:

THE CENTER OF IT ALL At the intersection of Lake Nona Boulevard and Tavistock Lakes Boulevard, the Lake Nona Town Center encompasses hotels, offices, restaurants and apartment buildings. Plans call for the open-air, urban district to eventually contain 4 million square feet of entertainment, shopping and dining space.

2 0 2 1

Boxi Park Lake Nona is in the Town Center just south of S.R. 417 on Lake Nona Boulevard. It offers a mix of restaurants and bars, beach volleyball courts and a live entertainment venue to create an outdoor entertainment destination built using 14 repurposed shipping containers arranged in one- and twostory configurations.

Among the first of its kind on the East Coast, the 30,000-squarefoot park is family- and dog-friendly. Customers can find food and beverage options showcasing different cuisines, along with two full-service bars serving a selection of cocktails. A beer garden features its own craft beer line.

Other dining options in the Town Center include Chroma Modern Bar + Kitchen, Park Pizza & Brewing Co., Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine, Island Fin Poke Co. and Foxtail Coffee Co., with more new options in the pipeline.

Visitors have several hotel choices with Courtyard by Marriott for short-term guests and Residence Inn for long-term stays. The Town Center buildings are adjacent and share a lobby. Each hotel offers fitness centers and more than 100 rooms.

Both include Stay Well rooms with amenities such as aromatherapy, circadian mood lighting, water-filtering systems, memory foam mattresses built from plant extracts, air-purification systems and vitamin C-infused showers. The Residence Inn also features rooms with separate bedrooms and living areas, fully functioning kitchens and grocery delivery service.

Nearing completion is the Lake Nona Wave Hotel, which will be the Town Center’s crown jewel. With its curvilinear glass edges jutting 17 stories skyward, the hotel has 239 guest rooms and brings the community new entertainment options with a restaurant, lounge and a pool that may be visited by locals, according to Tavistock spokesperson Karlee Kunkle.

In addition to a gym, the hotel will feature a ballroom and more than 5,400 square feet of meeting space. It will also have View Smart Windows that tint using predictive intelligence in response to the sun and outdoor conditions, voice-automated in-room controls and other high-tech features.

For example, while staying at the Wave, guests can use a custom mobile app that allows them to control virtually their entire stay from their mobile devices, including ordering food and viewing a schedule of events. The architecture — by Arquitectonica, a company renowned for expressive modernism — will reflect the hotel’s futuristic vibe.

And there’s so much more to come.

Phase II of the Town Center will feature the 110,000-squarefoot Lake Nona Wellness Center. The facility will feature a medically based fitness program, sports performance training, physician offices and community education spaces for Lake Nona residents, families and employees as well as elite athletes.

The center will also feature first-class equipment and ondemand fitness activities by Lake Nona partner Technogym.

Amenities will include childcare facilities with outdoor play, a naturally lit public concourse and an indoor/outdoor demonstration kitchen.

In addition, there’ll be an indoor climbing wall, indoor and

outdoor pools, an outdoor classroom, outdoor training turf, a wellness plaza, a zen garden and a sports performance area with a 40-yard sprint track.

MEDICAL CITY MIRACLE Lake Nona’s health and life sciences cluster, also known as Medical City, is home to top medical and research facilities, including the University of Central Florida Health Sciences Campus and the Lake Nona Cancer Center as well as Nemours Children’s Hospital, the University of Florida Research & Academic Center and the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Together they provide a unique collection of research, education and medical care options — all state-of-the-art. So let’s have a look at what, exactly, Medical City has to offer.

The UCF Health Sciences campus includes several components. Established in 2006, the UCF College of Medicine is one of the first U.S. medical schools in decades to be built from the ground up.

Included is a 170,000-square-foot medical education facility, which features the latest in lab and classroom technology, as well as the 198,000-square-foot Burnett Biomedical Sciences building.

The college is unique nationally because of the large undergraduate and graduate programs in biomedicine offered through the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. The Burnett School boasts almost 3,000 undergraduates — making biomedical sciences the third most popular major at UCF. In addition, the 204,709-square-foot UCF Lake Nona Medical Center — a partnership hospital between HCA Healthcare’s North Florida Division and UCF Academic Health — has recently opened adjacent to the medical school.

The 100-bed teaching hospital provides healing for patients throughout Central Florida and beyond. It also educates healthcare providers of the future and supports the work of brilliant medical researchers that will lead to lifesaving care.

Such a hospital has always been the dream of the medical school’s founding dean, Dr. Deborah German, who is also UCF’s vice president for health affairs.

“We needed a teaching hospital to accomplish our goal of becoming one of the nation’s premier 21st-century medical schools, anchoring a Medical City that could one day become a global destination for education, research and patient care,” she says.

The hospital is already making an impact with leading-edge treatments. For example, it’s the first hospital in Central Florida to provide incisionless brain surgery to treat essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease unable to be controlled with medication.

Essential tremor (ET) is a progressive, neurological disease characterized by tremors, which can make daily activities challenging. Nearly 10 million Americans are estimated to have ET. Near the hospital is the 175,000-square-foot UCF Lake Nona Cancer Center, which houses cancer researchers, clinical trials and treatment for patients. And there are other key components of Medical City, which is already the global destination S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A MC9

IMPACT FORUM GATHERS HEALTH THOUGHT LEADERS The annual Lake Nona Impact Forum, which takes place at various Medical City venues, is committed to leading the conversation for building the wellbeing ecosystem of the future by exploring the intersections of health, wellness, medical and scientific innovation, and strategies to optimize human performance.

Dedicated to inspiring and championing health innovation, the forum convenes more than 300 of the brightest minds and global thought leaders in health, wellbeing and human performance.

The next forum is scheduled for November 3-5, and is dubbed Health Innovation in the New Reality. Speakers include Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN; as well as Dr. Richard Carmona, former U.S. surgeon general; Steve Case, chairman and CEO of Revolution LLC and co-founder of AOL; Renée Fleming, artistic advisor for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; Ray Kurzweil, inventor, author, futurist and director of engineer for Google; and Michelle Williams, dean of the faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health The forum is an invitation-only event where leaders can learn about the latest advances in science and technology while exchanging ideas and engaging in collaborative conversations that directly lead to action and innovation that impact individuals, companies, and communities across the world.

that German envisioned.

The 1.2 million-square-foot Orlando VA Medical Center serves the region’s 400,000 veterans by providing acute care, complex specialty care, advanced diagnostic services, and a large multispecialty outpatient clinic as well as administrative and support services.

The VA facility is also home to the SimLEARN National Simulation Center, which is dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare services for veterans through the application of simulation-based learning strategies to clinical workforce development.

The University of Florida Research and Academic Center at Lake Nona is a 110,000-square-foot facility where basic, clinical and translational research in drug discovery and development takes place. UF’s center also houses a nationally ranked Doctorate in Pharmacy program.

The 92,000-square-foot GuideWell Innovation Center, located near the UF facility, is a medical innovation hub for startups and healthcare entrepreneurs. The three-story building includes coworking space for startups on the first floor, and houses clinical and research companies on the upper floors.

Designed to promote collaboration and acceleration of groundbreaking ideas, the center provides the resources and collaborative environment innovators need to develop new solutions — and the connections to take concepts to market.

The 30,000-square-foot, first-floor collaboration space offers leaders from around the globe access to the best thinking in health innovation. Also in the building: exhibit space for new medical technology, a presentation venue, a video production studio, a nutrition lab and meeting space.

The Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute is a 35,000-square-foot global training center for the company’s employees. Also available through the institute are services to help everyone from athletes to executives be more productive and perform at their personal best in high-stress situations.

The institute’s campus includes the Corporate Athlete Course, a conference center, comprehensive testing and diagnostic facilities, a state-of-the-art fitness center and a worldclass tennis center.

The 630,000-square-foot Nemours Children’s Hospital is part of a state-of-the-art health campus that also includes Nemours Children’s Clinic, an ambulatory diagnostic center, and extensive research and education facilities.

Healing gardens, nature trails, pet therapy areas and water features help create a peaceful environment that fosters both mental and physical healing.

CAMPUS FOR CAPABILITY Big Four professional services firm KPMG selected Lake Nona for its national training center from a competitive field of 50 prospective cities nationwide.

The high-tech campus opened in early 2020 and focuses on enhancing the skills and services of KPMG professionals through immersive training in cutting-edge classroom and field environments. About 50,000 employees worldwide will 2 0 2 1

Big Four professional services firm KPMG selected Lake Nona for its national training center. The KPMG Lakehouse (top left) is the firm’s 800,000-square-foot learning, development and innovation facility. KPMG has announced that it’s building a 120,287-square-foot Capability Center (top right), which will address how the firm does business and delivers services. Set to open this summer, the Lake Nona Performance Club (above) will encompass 130,000 square feet and offer a 360-degree approach to health for everyone from infants to seniors, with specialized equipment for rehabbing injured athletes. And the performance club has partnered with Chopra Global, a leading whole-health company founded by wellness guru and bestselling author Deepak Chopra, to create the Chopra Mind-Body Zone and Spa.

train each year in various accounting disciplines.

First was the KPMG Lakehouse, the firm’s 800,000-squarefoot learning, development and innovation facility. In May, KPMG announced that it was building a 120,287-square-foot Capability Center, which addresses how the firm does business and delivers services.

As the local economy continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 350 new jobs brought by the Capability Center will be a welcome boost for the region.

“We’re very excited about the opening of the Capability Center, and further enhancing our partnership with Orlando and Lake Nona,” says Carl Carande, KPMG’s U.S. vice chair and global head of advisory.

He adds: “To ensure we continue to deliver excellence in client service as the business environment continues to evolve, the ability to modernize our delivery model and become more digitally enabled are crucial. At the new center, our advisory professionals will help us deliver exceptional service, quality, efficiency and affordability to our clients across a wide range of consulting services.”

PEAK PERFORMANCE Set to open this summer, the Lake Nona Performance Club is 130,000 square feet — big enough to hold several grocery stores.

The concept is a 360-degree approach to health for everyone from infants to seniors, with specialized equipment for rehabbing injured athletes. Aquatics include a leisure pool, lap pool and whirlpool. The studio space for yoga, barre and Pilates is larger than most houses.

The gymnasium features basketball and volleyball courts.

And the performnce club has partnered with Chopra Global, a leading whole-health company founded by wellness guru and bestselling author Deepak Chopra, to create the Chopra MindBody Zone and Spa. This first-of-its-kind partnership will create Chopra Global’s first brick-and-mortar facility.

“Chopra Global and Lake Nona are guided by our common mission of promoting health and wellbeing,” says Chopra Global vice president of partnerships Jaime Rabin. “The programs at the performance club will serve as a model for us moving forward as we look to continue the expansion of our physical brand presence.”

A dedicated 5,500-square-foot space will be devoted to providing a variety of yoga and meditation classes plus specialty options such as aerial yoga, barre and reformer Pilates.

Unique mind-body assessments based in Ayurveda — one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems, which originated in India some 3,000 years ago — will also be available.

The Chopra Mind-Body Zone will complement the perforS P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A MC11

On Adventure Lake adjacent to the City of Orlando’s Heroes Community Park, the Nona Adventure Park (left) is a watersports facility that features a two-track Rixen Cable System for waterskiers and wakeboarders. It also offers an inflatable aqua park with a series of floating pathways, climbing obstacles, slides and trampolines. The largest tennis facility in the country, the USTA National Campus (right), features 100 courts and innovative developmental programs that make it a training destination for professional, collegiate and amateur players.

mance club’s focus on the unique mind-body constitution of the individual, resulting in a customized experience for each guest. Access will be available to performance club members and nonmembers alike.

The Chopra Global operation will be led by an expert team with oversight from Chopra himself, who recently announced plans to become a Lake Nona resident and has previously conducted mass meditation events there.

ADVENTUROUS SPIRITS On Adventure Lake adjacent to the City of Orlando’s Heroes City Park, the Nona Adventure Park is a watersports facility that features a two-track Rixen Cable System for water-skiers and wakeboarders.

It also offers an inflatable aqua park with a series of floating pathways, climbing obstacles, slides and trampolines. There’s even a summer camp, which pretty much always sells out.

In addition, the park has a pro shop as well as a 60-foot climbing tower with a ropes course and climbing walls. The Wi-Fi-enabled main entrance houses an upscale café with food and beverages, and a dry seating area for spectators.

The park welcomes birthday parties and even has a program where the entire facility can be rented for larger gatherings and such activities as corporate team building.

TENNIS, ANYONE? The largest tennis facility in the country, the USTA National Campus features 100 courts and innovative developmental programs that make it a training destination for professional, collegiate and amateur players.

Home to thousands of training players and teams and to hundreds of tournaments each year, the 64-acre campus is open to the public and serves all levels of play for all ages. The campus has hosted 675,000 visitors and attendees since opening in 2017.

Current and former professionals who have visited, trained, coached and played at the facility include James Blake, Catherine “CiCi” Bellis, the Bryan Brothers, Jim Courier, Chris Evert, Ivan Lendl, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Madison Keys, Billie Jean MC12 S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A

King, Jack Sock, Frances Tiafoe and David Young.

The facility was selected as the host site of the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships in 2019 and 2021, as well as the NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships in 2022.

GETTING YOUR KICKS XL Soccer World will open a new 50,000-square-foot indoor athletic complex off Narcoossee Road, near Valencia College’s Lake Nona campus. The facility will feature two, six-versus-six 4G boarded turf fields and two multisurface fields.

In addition to soccer, the fields can also be used to play futsal, lacrosse, flag football and volleyball. XL Soccer World is scheduled to open this summer.

There’ll be camps, adult leagues, a mini sports academy for youngsters (soccer, basketball, baseball and flag football). In addition, there’ll be Youth Soccer programs and even an XL National Team consisting of selected players who’ll have an opportunity to compete in Europe.

ROAD TO REHABILITATION Construction is scheduled to start late this year on a Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital with 60 beds and a potential for double that number. The new hospital will focus on “medically complex” rehabilitation solutions in concert with Lake Nona’s Medical City.

“Patients in the Orlando area often come to Jacksonville for our specialized care,” says Dr. Trevor Paris, chief medical officer for Brooks. “Building a hospital in Lake Nona will allow us to provide exceptional care now as a destination medical center.”

Adds Rasesh Thakkar, senior managing director, Tavistock Group. “Innovation is a cornerstone in Lake Nona, and we’re pleased to welcome a national leader in rehabilitation and intensive therapy to Lake Nona’s health and life sciences cluster.

“What impressed us further about Brooks,” Thakkar continues, “is their commitment to research and education in addition to specialized care and enhancing people’s lives not just in the present but innovating continuously with an eye to a brighter future.”

2 0 2 1

A whole new region is taking shape.

Exploring big ideas.

About the meaning of home.

The importance of town.

And the power of nature.

From the creators of Lake Nona.

You’re invited. sunbridgefl.com

Hot-selling Laureate Park (above) is a vibrant, multibuilder neighborhood of brightly colored bungalows, townhomes, cottages and multistory homes decked out with state-of-the-art technology. The neighborhood sits alongside community gardens (below), an LP FIT fitness center, a resort-style aquatic center, an event venue, miles of trails, pocket parks and plenty of playgrounds. Laureate Park builders include Ashton Woods Homes, Cardel Homes, Craft Homes, David Weekley Homes and Dream Finders Homes.

MC14 S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A

2 0 2 1

LAKE NONA SELLS ITSELF THE S O UT H EAST O R LA N DO COMMU N I TY H A S B EEN A H OT S POT FOR Y E A RS. BU T R E CE N T DEMAND HAS ACCE LE RATED TH E BOOM.

By Mary Shanklin

N

atalia Foote and her husband saw their chance: They could get more bang for their housing buck if they bought near Lake Nona, instead of in the masterplanned community.

That was in 2008, right after the housing market crashed.

The couple got a deal on a home with 2,800 square feet in the East Park community. After five years there, Foote says, she might have been able to name two neighbors.

“I was young and kind of dumb,” Foote says. “I just saw I could get a much larger home across the street in a place with similar amenities. I didn’t know about the area. I wasn’t aware of what Lake Nona proper was.”

The Footes and their two boys moved to Lake Nona six years ago. They paid $451,000 for a home in the community’s Laureate Park neighborhood and could now “easily sell for $600,000,” Foote says.

Unlike before, everyone in Laureate Park was sociable and there were plenty of opportunities for community interaction.

Now Foote teaches yoga in her ‘hood.

Buying might have been more challenging if the Footes tried it during the last year. Like the rest of the region — and the country — record low inventory has meant fewer options.

During a year marked by people isolating at home, sales in Lake Nona increased 38 percent from 2019, reaching 645. The 17-square mile swath of homes, recreational facilities, an artsy town center and a health sciences complex dubbed Medical City was one of the top 20 bestselling master-planned communities in the U.S. for last year, according to Maryland-based RCLCO real estate advisors.

Natalie Arrowsmith, president of the Orlando Regional Real-

tor Association (ORRA), says she’s seen Lake Nona homes priced at more than $1 million sell instantly during the last year, often attracting multiple cash offers. Buyers recognize what’s happening there, she adds.

“I think Lake Nona is just taking something beautiful and taking it to another level,” she notes.

When Mark Pacheco started trying to sell homes in Lake Nona last year, the world had hunkered down. The seasoned salesperson hoped to close on two or three sales per month.

“It took a while to get started, with permitting and all, but it was more like five to eight sales a month and we sold out in three months,” says Pacheco, who works for Cardel Homes. “I wish we had more lots.”

Remote buyers drove sales in the southeast Orlando community. Pacheco says about half his buyers purchased homes, priced from $500,000 to $1 million and up, sight unseen.

“When this whole COVID-19 thing started, there was a lot of anxiousness,” Pacheco adds. “I sold 80 percent of the homes virtually, via Zoom, and never met 50 percent of the buyers.”

In the zip code for Lake Nona during the first quarter of this year, sales prices averaged $670,988 with a $77 million sales volume, according to ORRA. In the Central Florida region, only Winter Park, Bay Hill and Windermere performed better for the quarter, according to ORRA statistics.

Buyers haven’t been shy about going big. Of Cardel Homes’ buyers in Lake Nona, half spent extra to add garage apartments for either an older child or as an investment. With rents reaching $1,600 in the community, buyers understand the value of building rentable space, Pacheco says.

Demand for Lake Nona homes has sustained into this year.

S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A MC15

One of the top private golf and country clubs in the world, Lake Nona Golf & Country Club is a sanctuary of luxury real estate and amenities nestled along the shores of Lake Nona. The community features a Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course, a 40,000-square-foot clubhouse with an 18-room guest lodge, a bath and racquet club with all-inclusive fitness and tennis facilities, a resort-style pool, year-round children’s programming, 24-hour gated security and outstanding water-based recreation on three lakes.

“As we’ve built things, people have embraced the vision,” says Rob Adams, vice president of Tavistock Development Group, the company that’s developing Lake Nona.” Adds Adams: “As we keep the housing coming, there’s a swath of product.” There are luxury estates, gated neighborhoods, townhome communities and active-adult projects from which to choose.

The following story describes what’s existing and what’s new in Lake Nona, but Homebuyer: Central Florida Edition has not included pricing because the market was in such flux as of press time. Please check individual community websites or call in advance for current pricing.

Beazer Homes’ Gatherings of Lake Nona (beazer.com) is a 55-plus community adjacent to the VA Medical Center. It offers 216 condominiums, and residents enjoy a variety of amenities and programming.

PulteGroup’s (pulte.com) The Isles of Lake Nona offers singlefamily homes and townhomes nestled among a large network of ponds. More than 500 homes are planned, and the neighborhood will feature a clubhouse, sports courts and a resortstyle pool with a splash pad.

One of the top private golf and country clubs in the world, Lake Nona Golf & Country Club (lakenona.com) is a sanctuary of luxury real estate and amenities nestled along the shores of Lake Nona.

The neighborhood features a Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course, a 40,000-square-foot clubhouse with an 18-room guest lodge, a bath and racquet club with all-inclusive fitness and tennis facilities, a resort-style pool, year-round children’s programming, 24-hour gated security and outstanding water-based recreation on three lakes.

Custom builders in the upscale enclave, where prices run into seven figures, include Akers Custom Homes, Arturo Barcellona Homes, Cahill Homes, DeVoe Custom Homes, Goehring & Morgan Construction, Hughes Tobin Custom Homes, Issa Homes, Maroon Fine Homes, Pellegrini Custom Homes, MC16 S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A

Phil Kean Design Group and Stonebridge Homes.

Hot-selling Laureate Park (lakenona.com) is a vibrant, multibuilder neighborhood of brightly colored bungalows, townhomes, cottages and multistory homes decked out with state-of-the-art technology.

The neighborhood sits alongside community gardens, an LP FIT fitness center, a resort-style aquatic center, an event venue, miles of trails, pocket parks and plenty of playgrounds.

Laureate Park builders include Ashton Woods Homes, Cardel Homes, Craft Homes, David Weekley Homes and Dream Finders Homes. (The Preserve at Laureate Park, a gated neighborhood by Taylor Morrison Homes, is sold out but may have resales available.)

Somerset Crossings is a low-maintenance townhome neighborhood by PulteGroup (pulte.com) featuring open-concept floor plans, one- and two-car garages, and resort-style amenities including a pool, cabana and playground.

A senior-living facility, Somerby Assisted Living (somerbyseniorliving.com) consists of apartments that boast high ceilings, spa showers, kitchenettes, and washers and dryers. It offers assisted living, memory care and respite care.

Looking ahead, national builder Toll Brothers (tollbrothers. com) plans to debut in Lake Nona as soon as October with the opening of gated Laurel Pointe, located off Narcoossee Road and newly constructed Luminary Boulevard. The neighborhood will include 124 single-family homes, each featuring views of water or a preserve.

Brock Fanning, president of the company’s Central and Southwest Florida divisions, says he’s excited about rolling out a new line of elevations in an innovative development that’s close to shopping, jobs, theme parks and Orlando International Airport.

“No sale is easy but this very desirable location makes it easier to get people into the sales office,” says Fanning, who anticipates a buyer mix of 60 percent families and 40 percent second-home buyers — which is also a trend Toll Brothers has 2 0 2 1

Beazer Homes’ Gatherings of Lake Nona (top) is a 55-plus neighborhood that offers 216 condominiums, many with water views. Somerset Crossings (second from top) is a low-maintenance townhome neighborhood by PulteGroup that features open-concept floorplans, one- and two-car garages and resort-style amenities. Toll Brothers plans to debut in Lake Nona as soon as October with the opening of gated Laurel Pointe (third from top), located off Narcoossee Road and newly constructed Luminary Boulevard. Another new neighborhood off Narcoossee Road is 65-acre Summerdale Park (bottom), launched by publicly traded homebuilder Dream Finders Homes along with Craft Homes.

seen in the southwest Orange County master-planned community Horizon West.

Another new neighborhood off Narcoossee Road is 65-acre Summerdale Park, launched by publicly traded homebuilder Dream Finders Homes (dreamfindershomes.com) along with Craft Homes (crafthomes.com). “Summerdale Park is the definition of a live, work, play community,” says Gerry Boeneman, president of the company’s Central Florida division.

Upscale apartments are also popular in Lake Nona. Ariel Apartments (lakenonaariel.com), located in the western portion of the community, features one-, two- and three-bedroom units designed for energy efficiency.

Residents can access 1GB high-speed internet and a 24-hour fitness club featuring Technogym equipment and virtual classes. It’s even pet friendly and includes a dog park, a pet-washing station and an agility course.

LandonHouse (liveatlandonhouse.com), Pixon (lakenonapixon.com) and Lake Nona WaterMark (lakenonawatermark. com) also offer luxury rental options. At LandonHouse, residents can rent one-, two- or three-bedroom apartments as well as open studio spaces for true urban living. All 279 apartments are accented by 10-foot ceilings and great views of the quickly expanding Town Center and Medical City.

At Pixon, a 200-unit modern flat community featuring an impressive roster of innovative community conveniences that include a car-share program featuring Tesla vehicles and a concierge delivery system.

The complex also offers 32,500 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, where you’ll find such businesses as Foxtail Coffee Co., Rukus Cycling Studios, Club Pilates and Island Fin Poke Co. The complex includes the region’s first “micro units,” which are just under 400 square feet.

Lake Nona WaterMark is anchored by a 7,515-square-foot clubhouse with a resort-style pool, a fireside veranda, an outdoor kitchen and a business center. It’s located near Lake Nona’s Sports and Performance District, which is anchored by the USTA National Campus.

Also planned within Lake Nona is a 94-unit assisted-living complex. Lake Nona Senior Housing LLC — a company related to Winter Springs-based Stonegate Development Co. of Florida (stonegatealf.com) — will build a 76,330-square-foot facility called Stonegate that will include 63 rooms for assisted living and 31 for memory care.

S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A MC17

CHANGING THE REGION BUYERS ARE FI N DI N G LOTS TO LOVE ABO UT THE LAKE N ON A AR EA, I GN I TI N G GRO WTH IN ORA N GE A N D OSCEOLA .

By Mary Shanklin

T

he Lake Nona area is more than just the masterplanned community. Sparked in large part by the success of Lake Nona proper, growth in southeast Orange County and north Osceola County has exploded in recent years and shows no sign of slowing.

Narcoossee Road, once a rural strip of asphalt snaking its way from U.S. Highway 192 in Osceola into southeast Orlando, is now a major thoroughfare lined with new-home developments and all manner of commerce.

“In less than 20 years, the Lake Nona area has transformed from a mostly rural and inaccessible region to a vibrant and modern community,” says Orange County Commissioner Maribel Gomez Cordero, whose District 4 includes Lake Nona. “It rivals downtown Orlando in terms of amenities and convenience.”

Continues Cordero: “The ideas developed in this area have proven to be successful — and it has helped Lake Nona become a great place to live and work.”

It was inevitable that such growth, while starting in Orange County, would avalanche into adjacent Osceola County. In fact, the company behind Lake Nona is playing a key role in driving that development.

Tavistock Development Company plans to follow Lake Nona with an even bigger master-planned community: Sunbridge (sunbridgefl.com), which is two miles east of Lake Nona.

While Lake Nona has an urban vibe, Sunbridge will have more of a natural one. A canal network will connect a Marina Village to a chain of natural lakes. Whether you’re kayaking, fishing or just taking a walk, water will be an invigorating and inspiring part of everyday life.

The entire 24,000-acre community, which spans nearly 5,000 MC18 S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A

acres in Orange County and nearly 19,000 acres in northwest Osceola County, will be crisscrossed with walkways, wide paths and natural trails perfect for evening strolls, rigorous hikes and exciting mountain biking excursions. A small farm is also planned in what Tavistock has dubbed a “naturehood.”

With a range of neighborhoods, employment centers and commercial districts built around more than 13,000 acres of conservation land, Sunbridge is expected to attract companies and residents who want to be near Lake Nona’s innovation centers Tavistock Development Company plans to follow Lake Nona with an even bigger master-planned community: Sunbridge (map below).

While Lake Nona has an urban vibe, Sunbridge will have more of a natural one. Built around more than 13,000 acres of conservation land, Sunbridge is expected to attract companies and residents who want to be near Lake Nona’s innovation centers while enjoying Florida’s natural landscape.

2 0 2 1

Eagle Creek’s “crown jewel” is its four-and a-half star golf course, which boasts a two-story clubhouse with a pro shop, lounge and restaurant.

Within Eagle Creek, Jones Homes USA offers an impressive mix of housing options including townhomes, villas and single-family homes. In addition to the golf course, community amenities include a family recreation clubhouse with a fitness center and a gathering room, a resortstyle pool and a children’s pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, a covered playground and multipurpose ball field.

while enjoying Florida’s natural landscape.

There are more than 7,000 homes planned for Orange County alone, along with 9 million square feet of commercial space and 490 hotel rooms.

Del Webb (delwebb.com), one of the nation’s leading developers of active-adult communities, is already there with Del Webb Sunbridge, an active-adult community offering lowmaintenance single-family homes and villas.

The first neighborhood in Sunbridge, the Del Webb development will eventually have 1,350 homes and a 27,000-squarefoot clubhouse that will feature a fitness center, a movement studio, an arts and crafts area, a kitchen, a ballroom and a multipurpose space.

There’ll also be a health and wellness center, a resort-style pool, tennis and pickleball courts, an event lawn and amphitheater for shows and other entertainment. A fulltime, on-site activities director will keep you as busy as you wish to be.

And Westland Park (sunbridgefl.com), the second neighborhood in Sunbridge, is set to open by year’s end with multiple builders, similar to Laureate Park. “Westland Park will be more like Laureate Park, and prices will be a little less than in Laureate Park,” says Rob Adams, vice president of Tavistock Development Group.

Here are other active communities in the Lake Nona region.

All offer many of the same advantages as living in Lake Nona proper, including easy access to Orlando International Airport and major employment and entertainment centers.

Eagle Creek’s “crown jewel” is its four-and a-half star golf course, which boasts a two-story clubhouse with a pro shop, lounge and restaurant. Within Eagle Creek, Jones Homes USA (joneshomesusa.com) offers an impressive mix of housing options including townhomes, villas and single-family homes.

In addition to the golf course, community amenities include a family recreation clubhouse with a fitness center and a gathering room, a resort-style pool and a children’s pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, a covered playground and multipurpose ball field.

If you’ve got kids, you’ll particularly appreciate the fact that there’s an elementary school located in the community.

Glenwood, by D.R. Horton Homes (drhorton.com), offers the best of two worlds. It’s just a short distance to historic downtown St. Cloud, with its brick-paved streets lined with cafes, boutiques and even a two-screen cinema. Nearby Lakeshore Park offers a beachfront playground, a boat ramp with a marina, a children’s splash pad, picnic pavilions and al fresco dining.

Hanover Lakes, by locally owned Hanover Family Builders (hanoverfamilybuilders.com), is a boater’s paradise along the shores of Osceola County’s Alligator Lake.

The community, which offers access to the Alligator Chain of Lakes, also offers a resort-style pool with a splash pad, a nature park with a dock and pavilion, and homesites with private backyard docks. Hanover Family Builders offers 20 floorplans at Hanover Lakes, many with customized options.

Rivercrest on Narcoossee, by KB Home (kbhome.com), features 11 one- and two-story single-family floorplans, all with twoS P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A MC19

Shores at Lake Whippoorwill (top), by Toll Brothers, is truly a one-of-a kind neighborhood nestled along the shores of Lake Whippoorwill. This intimate enclave will offer only 14 homes on estate-sized homesites of 80 to 100 feet, some featuring direct lake access. Sunbrooke (second from top), by Ashton Woods Homes, offers such amenities as a clubhouse with an activity room, a resortstyle pool and a children’s playground area. Tohoqua (third from top), located less than 30 minutes from Lake Nona, features national homebuilders PulteGroup, Mattamy Homes and Lennar Homes.

Amenities include a clubhouse with a resort-style pool, fitness center, tennis courts, parks, a playground and trails that connect to county trails. Wiregrass, by Hanover Family Builders, Avex Homes and Dream Finders Homes (bottom home is by Dream Finders), offers a plethora of single-family home options. The neighborhood promises a relaxed lifestyle that includes a pool, a playground, a recreation/sports field and even a dog park.

car garages. Amenities include a community pool, a cabana, a tot lot and dog park.

Shores at Lake Whippoorwill, by Toll Brothers (tollbrothers.com), is truly a one-of-a-kind neighborhood nestled along the shores of Lake Whippoorwill — affectionately referred to by locals as Lake Will. This intimate enclave will offer only 14 homes on estate-sized homesites of 80 to 100 feet, some featuring direct lake access.

South Creek, by D.R. Horton Homes (drhorton.com), is offering low-maintenance townhomes in a neighborhood that features outdoor fitness stations and walking paths. Many homes offer serene water views, giving homeowners a natural respite at the end of a hectic day.

Summerly, by D.R. Horton Homes (drhorton.com), offers such amenities as a resort-style community pool and cabana, a children’s playground and access to a public boat ramp fronting East Lake Tohopekaliga, which is just two miles away.

Sunbrooke, by Ashton Woods Homes (ashtonwoodshomes. com), offers such amenities as a clubhouse with an activity room, a resort-style pool and a children’s playground area. It’s located just a short distance from popular East Lake Tohopekaliga.

Tohoqua (tohoqua.com), located less than 30 minutes from Lake Nona, features national homebuilders PulteGroup, Mattamy Homes and Lennar Homes. Amenities include a clubhouse with a resort-style pool, fitness center, tennis courts, parks, a playground and trails that connect to county trails. Within the community is the gated active-adult Tohoqua Reserve by Del Webb.

Woodland Park, by Taylor Morrison Homes (taylormorrison. com), is designed to incorporate wetlands and parks in a natural setting. Adding to the neighborhood’s allure are such amenities as a community pavilion, a pool, a multipurpose field and a playground.

Wiregrass, by Hanover Family Builders (hanoverfamilybuilders.com), Avex Homes (avexhomes.com) and Dream Finders Homes (dreamfindershomes.com), offers a plethora of singlefamily home options. The neighborhood promises a relaxed lifestyle that includes a pool, a playground, a recreation/sports field and even a dog park for the fur-babies.

MC20 S P E C I A L R E P O R T : L A K E N O N A

2 0 2 1

GETTING AROUND SURE, BEEP IS CUTE. BUT IT’S PART OF A KEY COMPONENT OF A FUTURISTIC TRANSIT PLAN. There’s a secret about those cute, robotic-looking driverless vehicles that shuttle throughout Lake Nona. Humans drive them, at least through intersections. It’s a federal requirement.

“I’m using air quotes in terms of drivers. We refer to them as specialists or stewards,” says Racquel Asa, chief marketing officer for Beep, the autonomous mobility service company that provides the technology for the community’s eight-vehicle fleet. “Ninety percent of the time, the vehicle drives itself.”

Beep is just one cog in a futuristic transit plan at Lake Nona seeking federal approval. The star of the show is expected to be a set of all-electric jets flying at high speeds from the master-planned community to nearby Orlando International Airport and beyond.

Lake Nona’s Tavistock Development Company partnered last year with German aviation group Lilium on plans for America’s first “vertiport.” With federal approvals, the system would be up by 2025.

Lake Nona’s developers have parlayed close airport proximity into an asset. In addition to easing logistics for homebuyers, owners of second homes, visitors and business travelers, high-speed connections to South Florida will begin late next year.

A new Orlando airport terminal is on track to connect with South Florida via a high-speed train service called Brightline. The private undertaking promises two-hour service from the airport to West Palm Beach before continuing to

Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

Beep ties into the overall system by delivering passengers on the first and last mile of their trips. Based in Lake Nona, Beep has five routes in the 17-square-mile development and has served more than 29,000 passengers since September 2019, according to Asa. Passengers can tap the community’s 5G network to use the GoBeep app with live shuttle tracking and schedules.

“For me, I take great pride in using Beep as my primary transportation locally, thus helping reduce my carbon footprint,” says Lake Nona resident Terri Turner, who works at the VA’s Fisher House to provide lodging for the families of patients at the Orlando VA Medical Center, a component of Medical City.

Before it plugs into a multilayered transit system in the coming years, Beep will serve more basic purposes. Asa notes that it saves people from parking hassles and allows them to use their phones while traveling throughout the community.

Some people use the shuttles to take unguided tours of Lake Nona. And it gets users safely to and from parties and happy-hour festivities. Turner says she appreciated Beep delivering paper towels and other donations to the Fisher House during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And regardless of whether a human actually guides them through intersections, Turner says it’s fun to show off the boxy vehicles to visiting friends and family.

—Mary Shanklin

Beep (left), a robotic-looking driverless shuttle vehicle, has five routes and has served more than 29,000 passengers since September 2019. Beep is just one cog in the futuristic transit plan at Lake Nona. The star of the show is expected to be a set of allelectric jets flying (right) at high speeds from Lake Nona to nearby Orlando International Airport and beyond.

Seize the daylight.

Shop from anywhere.

Get Publix groceries delivered.

publix.com/shop

Item prices vary from in-store prices. Service fees may apply. Available in select zip codes.

MAKE HEALTHIER MOVES They say home is where the heart is – but the rest of you lives here, too. Taylor Morrison is committed to making sure the healthiest move you can make is into a new home. That’s why we offer our TM LiveWellTM features including whole-home air filtration, clean water technologies, low VOC paint and healthy home products in every new home we build. Not as upgrades but as standard features.

Safer Paint. Healthier Air. Cleaner Water. Standard. taylormorrison.com/make-moves/Orlando | 407.756.5025 *TM LiveWell™ features are subject to availability for new purchase agreements and based on region, community and specific plans. Products may be changed for comparable or newly improved replacements or additions and may not be available in a limited number of completed homes. Details available. Nothing contained herein or in any related materials regarding the TM LiveWell™ included features as of a buyer’s Purchase Agreement Date is a guaranteed commitment on performance results and health benefits or independently verified and remain subject to change daily without notice by third party suppliers outside of Taylor Morrison’s control. All information (including, but not limited to prices, views, availability, school assignments and ratings, incentives, floor plans, elevations, site plans, features, brands, standards and options, assessments and fees, planned amenities, programs, conceptual artists’ renderings and community development plans) is not guaranteed and remains subject to change, availability or delay without notice. Any community improvements, recreational features and amenities described are based upon current development plans, which are subject to change and under no obligation to be completed. Maps and plans are not to scale, are not intended to show specific detailing and all dimensions are approximate. Prices may not include lot premiums, upgrades and options depending on stage of construction.

Community Association or other fees may be required. This communication is not intended to constitute an offering in violation of the law of any jurisdiction and in such cases our communications may be limited by the laws of your state. Please see a Taylor Morrison Community Sales Manager or Internet Home Consultant for details and visit www.taylormorrison.com for additional disclaimers and complete licensing details per jurisdiction. For our Age Qualified Communities only: At least one resident of household must be 55 or older, and additional restrictions apply. Some residents may be younger than 55 in limited circumstances. For minimum age requirements for permanent residents in a specific community, please see a Taylor Morrison Community Sales Manager for complete details. © February, 2021, Taylor Morrison, Inc. (“TM”). The TM LiveWell™ registered and unregistered marks are owned by TM. All rights reserved. ORL 02/18/21 3281

READY • SET • MOVE!

It’s time to call St. Cloud Home!

COMING SOON!

SUMMERLY

HARMONY WEST

SUNCREST

Single-Family Homes 7 plans to choose from 3-5 Bedrooms 2-Car Garages 1,672 - 2,807 Sq. Ft.^ from the mid $300s*

Single-Family Homes 10 plans to choose from 3-5 Bedrooms 2-Car Garages 1,672 - 2,807 Sq. Ft.^ from the high $200s*

Single-Family Homes & Villas 7 plans to choose from 2-5 Bedrooms 2-Car Garages 1,608 - 2,807 Sq. Ft.^ Coming Soon!

645 Talisi Loop St. Cloud, FL 34771

6756 Alder Road St. Cloud, FL 34773

Leon Tyson Road St. Cloud, FL 34771

D.R. Horton is equal housing opportunity builder. *Home and community information, including pricing, included 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 homes as built. ^Square footage dimensions are approximate. Certified Builder Contractor License Number CBC1252212

877.415.0030 | DRHorton.com ©Copyright 2021 D.R. Horton, Inc.