Pulte Group broke ground on an 850-home, age-restricted Del Webb Bexley community in Land O’ Lakes on Jan. 31.
The age 55 and older community is the first “active-adult” project built by Pulte in the Tampa Bay area since 1960, according to a press release from Pulte Group.
“We feel the Tampa area is underserved for baby boomers looking to live in a place that is designed specifically for them,” said Sean Strickler, in a written statement.
Strickler is division president for the west Florida region for Pulte Group.
Strickler attended the ground breaking along with executives from Pulte Group and Newland, Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Wells Jr., and commissioners Kathryn Starkey and Jack Mariano.
The homes are under construction at Sunlake Boulevard and Tower Road on about 490 acres within the master-planned Bexley by Newland Communities, off State Road 54. The gated community will be built in four phases, with the first homes expected to be move-in ready by spring 2019.
In a telephone interview, Strickler reported a construction start on model homes in October, with completion in January or February, 2019.
Already, about 2000 people have expressed an interest in moving there, he said. Some homes could be sold before the model homes are finished, he added.
“Del Webb always has a high degree of interest,” Strickler said. “But, this has exceeded our expectations because we haven’t done much advertising, except on the website.”
Del Webb’s last active-adult community was built in the Ruskin area in the early 1960s. Plans were underway for a Wesley Chapel community before the housing bust in 2009. “Obviously the market got in the way,” Strickler said.
But, it’s a different market today, and the Tampa Bay area is a magnet for baby boomers, he added.
Pulte also is one of the builders at the master-planned community of Epperson, which features the Crystal Lagoon. There are no current plans to build a Del Webb community there. But, Pulte has about 250 lots available, and has sold 11 homes. “We anticipate them going quickly,” Strickler said.
The Del Webb Bexley community will offer six single-family home designs, of two- to four-bedrooms and two- to four-bath rooms. There will be two- to three-car garages.
Home prices will start in the low $200,000 range.
Residents will have a 17,000 square-foot, multimillion dollar clubhouse that features a large social room; a café with snacks, beer, coffee and wine; a fitness area; a resort-style swimming pool; and, recreational activities overseen by a full-time lifestyle director.
Del Webb residents also can enjoy a lakefront club and café as part of the larger Bexley community. And for an additional fee, they can purchase access to Bexley’s “all-ages” amenities, which include 10 miles of multi-use Avid Trails, parks and playgrounds, a soccer field, dog park, two resort-style pools, a bike park and many social events.
For information, call (866) 230-6089, or visit DelWebb.com/bexley.
Published February 14, 2018
