The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
Proud to be independently owned.

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Southeast Building Conference

Bexley Trail Blazers Club Enjoys Outdoor Camaraderie

By

Living in Tampa Bay means enjoying outstanding weather year-round and ample outdoor activities. For residents in Bexley by Newland, one of Pasco County’s premier master-planned communities, the Bexley lifestyle also means having a wide range of activities and amenities just minutes from your doorstep.

The Bexley Trail Blazers is a group of residents, nearby neighbors and friends who enjoy monthly walks through the community’s trails. Pictured L-R: Robert Krahn, Stephanie Krahn (and their dog Nala), Daniela Pavlik, Bryan Cooper, Denise Semeniuk, Nick Grimaudo, Jay Michlin, Jean Grimaudo, Jodie Johnson, Scott Waite, Larry Oliver and Jessica Robinson.

Nestled among 1,825 acres of pastoral ranch lands, mature woodlands and cypress wetlands, Bexley offers exceptional trails to walk, bike and run. The newly formed Bexley Trail Blazers, whose members are residents and guests, gather each month to explore one of the community trails, which vary in length between a quarter mile to nearly two miles.

The group usually meets on the second Friday of the month, not only for exercise, but also camaraderie. All are welcome to join. A schedule of Trail Blazers events is available at BexleyFlorida.com, or on the Bexley by Newland Facebook Page.

“We help members discover places within their community they might not have known about,” said Jessica Robinson, marketing manager for Bexley. “Our residents enjoy getting to know each other in a fun, casual setting. Not only have residents been exploring the trails together, they’ve been sharing them with their friends from other nearby communities and inviting them to join the group.”

Along their walks, Trail Blazers get a chance to enjoy the canopy of cypress trees, listen to the variety of bird songs and even catch a glimpse of an alligator or two.

The Allure of Amenities
Bexley’s dual-surface trails were designed by outdoor-living pioneer Avid Trails. Several of them include Fit Stations to keep workouts interesting and fresh. The community also offers open space for sports fields, a BMX bicycle pump park, and custom-made playgrounds, as well as two dog parks, one for large breeds and the other for small.  

Suncoast Trailside Bicycles is also located right within the community. The business offers sales, repairs and rentals six days a week at the lakefront Bexley Club, which is also home to the Twisted Sprocket Café. The public cafe offers a menu of breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, coffee, wine and beer.

Two additional buildings make up The Bexley Club: a cardio-focused fitness center and a screened-in game room with air hockey, foosball, and a pool table. There are also two resort-style pools, an outdoor fire pit and an event lawn for community events and gatherings.

Residents Connect
The Trail Blazers club isn’t the only way for residents to meet and connect. From October through May, Bexley hosts a monthly Saturday Morning Market, which features an array of unique vendors and goods. The next Morning Market is April 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The community’s Spring Garage Sale is being held in conjunction with the April market, and invites residents to host individual sales, all on the same day.

On the third Friday of each month, residents and guests gather for Happy Hour at the Twisted Sprocket Café from 5 to 8 p.m. with drinks, café specials and complimentary snacks.

Located in Land O’Lakes in central Pasco County, north of State Road 54 and just east of the Suncoast Parkway, Bexley provides a prime location that’s just 26 miles from downtown Tampa and convenient to many of the area’s diverse attractions.

Not only do residents rave about all there is to do at Bexley, the community has garnered numerous awards, including a Best in American Living Award for best single-family community from the National Association of Home Builders. It also was recognized as the best master-planned community and best recreational facility from the Southeast Building Conference.

Want to know more? Bexley allows families searching for a new home to test out all of the trails and amenities through its exclusive Resident for a Day program. To learn more, visit BexleyFlorida.com.

Published March 27, 2019

Bexley Residents Stay Healthy In The Sunshine

By

Most weekday mornings you can find Bernie Schmitt working out in the fitness center at The Bexley Club. Spending time on the recumbent bicycle and rowing machine helps keep his body flexible and staves off the occasional arthritis pain he feels, after undergoing several back surgeries.

Schmitt and his wife moved to Florida to retire about a year and a half ago.

“We came down to stay healthy in the sunshine and see the grandkids,” said Schmitt, whose three sons live nearby.

One of the factors that drew the active couple to purchase their home in Bexley, Pasco County’s award-winning master-planned community, is how convenient it is to exercise right within the neighborhood.

Set on 1,825 acres of land, Bexley was designed so that residents could enjoy the great outdoors and Tampa Bay’s spectacular weather year-round. The heart of the community is The Bexley Club with a resort-style pool, separate heated lap pool, open-air game room, playground, and cardio-focused, state-of-the-art fitness center.

The Bexley Club is also home to the Twisted Sprocket Café, which is open to the public. It’s the perfect place to enjoy an after-workout smoothie or coffee, along with an outstanding menu of breakfast items, gourmet lunches, craft beer and wine.

Bernie and his wife also enjoy the miles of multi-surface trails developed by fitness pioneer Avid Trails™. Designed to encourage residents to get fit while getting back to nature that is easily accessible from nearly every home, Bexley’s trails are ideal for walking, biking, jogging and strollers.

Along the way, exercisers can use 10 separate Fit Stations, which add fun and variety to workouts. The popular Bootcamp Loop offers exercisers a complete circuit-training workout along the trail. When complete, Bexley will have more than 10 miles of trails meandering throughout the community.

With so many bikers in the community, it’s the perfect location for Suncoast Trailside Bicycles, which opened its second location within Bexley. The shop provides tune-ups, repairs, sales, and test rides for residents and visitors.

One of the most popular bicycles being offered are battery-powered e-bikes, which let users pedal on their own, or turn on the battery when they need some extra assistance. The staff at the bike shop also assists with BMX bike clinics at Bexley’s very own Mud, Sweat and Gears park, which features a unique BMX pump track.

“We designed Bexley to be a community that makes it easy for residents to get outside and live an active lifestyle,” said Pam Parisi, vice president of marketing for Newland Communities, the developer of Bexley. “Residents can enjoy the beautiful scenery, acres of nature preserves and the vibrant, social atmosphere that Bexley offers.”

Located in Land O’ Lakes along State Road 54 just east of the Suncoast Parkway, Bexley has earned numerous awards, including best master-planned community and best recreational facility from the Southeast Building Conference, and a Best in American Living Award for best single-family community from the National Association of Home Builders.

To learn more about all that Bexley has to offer, visit BexleyFlorida.com.

Published December 26, 2018

Asturia’s Uniquely Smaller Size

By

More of a neighborhood than a sprawling development

Asturia, a new home community in Odessa, stands out among other planned developments along State Road 54 in Pasco County because of its uniquely smaller size.

At build out in the next few years, Asturia will be a community of just 670 homes, while nearby master-planned communities have between 1,500 and 6,500 homes planned over several years of construction.

“Asturia feels more like a neighborhood than a sprawling community,” said Lane Gardner, managing director for Hines, Asturia’s developer that is based in Jacksonville.

“Our nature trails, pocket parks, first-class amenities and community events encourage residents to get to know their neighbors,” he continued. “Families choose Asturia because it is a friendly, walkable community that promotes a healthy, active lifestyle.”

Asturia’s builders offer a variety of home sizes and prices, making it ideal for families looking to buy their first home, and for growing families with school-age children that need larger homes. The community also attracts empty-nesters and seasonal residents who are downsizing to a smaller home, and want the latest in technological upgrades and energy efficiencies.

Asturia also stands out because its developer sponsors community events almost monthly to provide opportunities for residents to get to know their neighbors, and non-residents to see what it would be like to live in Asturia. Recent events include a 4th of July Pool Party, Hawaiian Spring Luau, and Dog Day Afternoon for people and their four-legged friends.

Since Asturia opened in February 2016, over 200 homes have been sold in its first two phases. Hines is launching a third phase later this year, which will add townhomes for the first time to its mix of homes.

Ryan Homes, one of the nation’s oldest builders with communities in 14 states, is building the townhomes, which feature garages in the rear of the home. Townhomes will sell in the mid $200,000s, and are being constructed near the front of the community, walkable to Asturia’s Amenity Center.

Later in Phase 3, Ryan Homes will also build traditional single-family homes.

“We’re looking at townhome models opening toward the end of the year, or early in 2019,” said Gardner. “We are very pleased that Ryan Homes has joined us as a builder in Asturia, complementing our longtime builders — David Weekley Homes, Ashton Woods and ICI Homes.”

While infrastructure work is underway in Phase 3, home construction continues in Asturia’s Phase 2, which is tucked against pristine conservation and cypress-lined wetlands.

“All of our Phase 2 home sites offer privacy and peaceful, quiet surroundings,” said Gardner. “Some of the prettiest and most private lots in the community are still available.”

Award-Winning Amenity Center
Asturia’s distinctive, 5,800-square-foot Amenity Center and Clubhouse has earned the prestigious Silver Aurora Award for the Best Recreational Facility from the Southeast Building Conference, as well as Best Mixed-Use Community of the Year.

This contemporary-design Amenity Center includes a fully equipped, modern clubhouse; covered outdoor dining areas; a luxurious, beach-entry, resort-style swimming pool; and an expansive event lawn for outdoor games. In the playground areas, there is a Kompan climbing dome, swings, slides, and spinners for youngsters to explore and enjoy.

Make Asturia your new home by visiting its models, registering at the community’s website, AsturiaFlorida.com, or by calling (813) 227-4148.

Townhomes Coming Soon
Builder – Ryan Homes
Open concept floor plans
1,600 to 1,700 square feet
Rear-load, 2-car garages
From the mid $200s
Tentative opening – late 2018
Low maintenance, hassle-free living
Register for VIP List at RyanHomes.com
(813) 501-6225 for more information

Published August 22, 2018

First Responders Call Bexley Home

By

First responders are a tight-knit group. It’s that feeling of camaraderie that attracted Liam Symmonds, a firefighter and paramedic in Pasco County, to the Bexley community in Land O’ Lakes.

Liam, his wife, Keisha and their three young daughters moved to Bexley last year from Trinity. Turns out, Liam is in good company, because Bexley is home to about a dozen first responders who work throughout Tampa Bay.

Since moving to their new neighborhood, Liam learned that two of his co-workers also live in Bexley; one of them just a few doors down from the Symmonds family. Liam was so impressed with his homebuying experience at Bexley, and with all the community has to offer, that he encouraged another friend and first responder who works in Tampa to make the move to Bexley.

Liam, his wife, Keisha and their three young daughters moved to Bexley last year from Trinity.

“I’ve also met several other firefighters and police officers around the community, either at neighborhood events or at the pool,” Liam said.

For the Symmonds, Bexley is an idyllic place to raise a young family.

“Bexley has a great vibe,” he added. “We love all of the amenities, the parks and the events that are held within the community. It’s so much more than just a regular neighborhood.”

Bexley takes its inspiration from nature. With 1,825 acres of pastoral ranch lands, mature woodlands and cypress wetlands, Bexley offers miles of multi-surface Avid™ trails for biking, jogging or walking. Fit Stations are placed along the trails for exercisers who want to work out while enjoying the great outdoor scenery, or take their workout regimen to the next level. Around the community, kids spend hours on the custom-built playgrounds; sports lovers of all ages enjoy Mud, Sweat and Gears Park for soccer or football games; and Bexley’s BMX bicycle pump track lets daredevils try out new tricks. There’s even the BarkYard Park for four-legged family members, with separate spaces for big and small dogs.

As a volunteer soccer coach, Liam also appreciates living so close to Mud, Sweat & Gears park, where he can kick the ball around with his daughters, ages 11, 8 and 5. The fact that his girls can walk or ride their bikes to nearby Bexley Elementary School, located within the community, is also a convenience for Liam and his wife. Plus, Liam has a short, 3-mile commute to work.

“The first responders who live in Bexley bring a great sense of fellowship to the community,” said Pam Parisi, vice president of marketing for Newland Communities, the developer of Bexley. “As we prepared for Hurricane Irma, many of the first responders were there to lend a helping hand to their neighbors by putting up storm shutters and making sure families were ready.”

“Bexley is a place where neighbors look out for each other,” added Liam. “You just don’t find that everywhere.”

Located in Land O’Lakes in central Pasco County, north of State Road 54 and just east of the Suncoast Parkway, Bexley is in a prime location that is convenient to many areas of Tampa Bay.

The community’s 1,825 acres of pastoral ranch lands, mature woodlands and cypress wetlands have earned it numerous awards, including best master-planned community and best recreational facility from the Southeast Building Conference, and a Best in American Living Award for best single-family community from the National Association of Home Builders.

To learn more about living at Bexley, visit BexleyFlorida.com.

Published August 22, 2018

Amenities, Lifestyle Set Bexley Apart

By

Choosing the right home and community are two of the biggest decisions you’ll make. Not only do you want to find a home that meets your family’s needs, you also want to be sure that the community offers plenty of ways to enjoy Tampa’s spectacular year-round weather and fosters a connection with neighbors.

Moving to Bexley by Newland Communities, one of Pasco County’s premier master-planned communities, means having a wide range of activities and amenities minutes from your doorstep.

Located in Land O’ Lakes in central Pasco County, north of State Road 54 and just east of the Suncoast Parkway, Bexley is in a prime location that is convenient to many areas of Tampa Bay.

The community’s 1,825 acres of pastoral ranch lands, mature woodlands and cypress wetlands have earned it numerous awards, including best master-planned community and best recreational facility from the Southeast Building Conference, and a Best in American Living Award for best single-family community from the National Association of Home Builders.

“The amenities at Bexley truly set our community apart,” said Pam Parisi, vice president of marketing for Newland Communities. “We designed Bexley so that residents can be as physically and socially active as they want. Or, they can just relax at The Bexley Club and enjoy the lakefront view.”

The Bexley Club
At the heart of the community is The Bexley Club, where residents and community members enjoy great food and scenic lakefront views at the Twisted Sprocket Café. The restaurant is open to the public for breakfast, lunch and happy hour, and offers an outstanding menu of breakfast items, gourmet lunches, desserts, smoothies, wine, craft beer and coffee drinks.     

Next door to the clubhouse, Suncoast Trailside Bicycles will open soon, offering bike sales, rentals and repairs.

Two additional buildings make up The Bexley Club: a cardio-focused fitness center and a screened-in game room with air hockey, foosball and pool table. There are also two resort-style pools, an outdoor fire pit, and an event lawn for community festivals and gatherings.

Get Fit
Bexley was designed so that residents could enjoy the great outdoors. The community is home to miles of multi-surface Avid™ trails, ideal for walking, biking, jogging and strollers. Along the way, check out the Fit Stations, which add fun and variety to workouts.

Custom Adventures
Some of the most unique community parks in Tampa Bay are located at Bexley. Kids spend hours on the custom-built Wonderland designed by Asheville Playgrounds. And, sports lovers of all ages use Mud, Sweat and Gears Park for impromptu soccer or football games. Bexley’s bicycle pump track is for daredevils who want to try out some new tricks. And, of course, four-legged residents have the BarkYard, a park to call their own with separate spaces for big and small dogs.

Best of all, Bexley allows families searching for a new home to test out all of the amenities through its exclusive Resident for a Day program. To learn more about all that Bexley has to offer, visit BexleyFlorida.com.

Published April 25, 2018

Always Something Fun To Do At Asturia

By

Asturia homeowners love their community almost as much as they love their new home.

There’s always something fun to do in Asturia, from enjoying the resort-style pool and fitness center, to walking and bicycling to pocket parks and exploring miles of trails, to meeting up with neighbors at community events sponsored by Asturia’s builders and developer.

A new event for pet lovers is happening in May for residents, future homeowners and people from neighboring communities. On Saturday, May 19, Asturia is hosting its first-ever Dog Day Afternoon from noon to 5 p.m. Folks are invited to gather with their four-legged friends on the grassy lawn next to the Amenity Center.

While dog owners sit, stay and play with their pets, youngsters will enjoy a bounce house and slide, face painting and a balloon artist. Everyone in the family will appreciate door prizes and live music, and food trucks will offer “ap-pet-izers.”

More than a dozen pet-friendly exhibitors will be at Dog Day Afternoon, including local veterinarians, pet stores and groomers. Exhibit space is still available, with the $50 exhibiting cost donated to Vets4Pets. For more information, please call Carla Luigs at (904) 810-0500 or David Weekley Homes at (813) 422-6166.

Vets4Pets provides high-quality, low-cost veterinary care to qualifying, low-income households, and educates families on how to be a responsible pet owner. The nonprofit is owned and operated by the Hillsborough Animal Health Foundation and 30-member veterinarian clinics.

“Asturia sponsors special events to bring our residents together so they get to know each other, said Carla Luigs, marketing coordinator for Hines. “Plus it’s a great way to invite people to Asturia so they can see all that is happening here.”

A regular event is Front Porch Friday, which is hosted by David Weekley Homes.

“Many relationships and friendships have been formed during Front Porch Fridays. It has been one of the best avenues of bringing “community” to Asturia,” said Diane Walker of David Weekley Homes.

This Friday, April 27, is the next Front Porch Friday at the Eclipse model home at 14796 Trails Edge Blvd.

Other recent events at Asturia were an Oyster Roast and bluegrass band on March 9, and an Easter Egg hunt on March 31. A Movie Night with free pizza and popcorn was held early in April, and more than 150 residents attended — the biggest crowd ever.

Just 550 Homes
Asturia stands out among other new home developments along State Road 54 because of its uniquely smaller size. While nearby master-planned communities have between 3,000 to more than 5,000 homes planned over several years of construction, Asturia is building just 550 homes over the next few years.

“Asturia feels more like a neighborhood than a sprawling community, said Lane Gardner, managing director for Hines, Asturia’s developer.

“Our nature trails, pocket parks, first-class amenities and community events encourage residents to get to know their neighbors. Families choose Asturia because we are a friendly, walkable community that promotes a healthy, active lifestyle,” he adds.

Because Asturia’s builders offer a variety of home sizes and prices, it is ideal for families looking to buy their first home, and for growing families with school-age children needing larger homes. The community also attracts seasonal residents and empty nesters who want all the latest technological upgrades in a smaller home.

Asturia’s Phase Two, which opened in December, offers 157 large home sites, most with conservation and water views, and all providing privacy and peaceful, quiet surroundings.

Ashton Woods Homes, David Weekley Homes and ICI Homes, some of the best builders in the country, are Asturia’s exclusive builders.

“Our buyers are fortunate that they can choose from such premier builders to build the home of their dreams in Asturia,” said Managing Director Lane.

Award Winning Amenity Center
Asturia’s distinctive, 5,800-square-foot Amenity Center and Clubhouse earned the prestigious Silver Aurora Award for the Best Recreational Facility at the 2017 Southeast Building Conference, as well as Best Mixed-Use Community of the Year.

This contemporary-design Amenity Center includes a fully equipped, modern clubhouse; covered outdoor dining areas; a luxurious, beach-entry, resort-style swimming pool; and an expansive event lawn for outdoor games. For kids, there is a Kompan dome, swings, slide and spinners in the playground area.

Asturia has wide, meadow-like spaces, peaceful ponds, thick stands of cypress and hardwood trees, and large tracts of scenic wetlands. It is an exceptionally kid-friendly and family oriented community surrounded by miles of trails interspersed with playgrounds, dog parks and pocket parks.

Make Asturia your new home by visiting its models, registering at the community’s website, AsturiaFlorida.com, or by calling (813) 227-4148.

Published April 25, 2018

Aurora awards

By

Bexley may be less than a year old, but its already an award-winning community.

The Southeast Building Conference (SBC) recently named Bexley by Newland Communities the top Master Planned Community in the Southeast, awarding the community its highest honor, a Grand Aurora award. The Bexley Club, the community’s hub, also earned a Grand Aurora award for Best Recreational Facility.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by the Southeast Building Conference,” said Pam Parisi, vice president, marketing for Newland Communities. “Bexley is the result of years of planning and research, and it’s rewarding to see so many families choosing to make their home here. In just a short time, Bexley is already a vibrant community for people at all stages of life who crave an active lifestyle and greater connections with the outdoors and with each other.”

The Aurora awards encompass all facets of the residential, commercial and remodeling industries; and are presented annually to outstanding residential and commercial builders, planners, architects, developers, designers, interior merchandisers and other housing-related professionals. Award winners were selected from entries representing industry professionals in 12 Southeastern states and the Eastern Caribbean.

 

Published September 27, 2017

Asturia Receives Prestigious Awards for Design and Marketing

By

Walter O’Shea, Carla Luigs and Lane Gardner of Hines accept awards for its Asturia community at the recent Aurora Awards dinner at the Southeast Building Conference in Orlando.

Asturia, a master-planned Hines community located on State Road 54 in Odessa, recently earned two prestigious awards at the 2017 Southeast Building Conference in Orlando.

Asturia was honored with the Excel Award for Best Mixed-Use Community of the Year for sales and marketing excellence in the building industry. The community was also honored with a Silver Aurora for Best Recreational Facility for its architectural and interior design.

Established in 1979, the Aurora Awards are presented annually to outstanding builders, planners, architects, developers, designers, interior merchandisers and other housing-related professionals.

This year’s competition drew over 400 entries in 58 categories from residential and commercial construction professionals actively involved in projects throughout the Southeast. The awards encompass all facets of the residential, commercial and remodeling industries.

The entries were judged by a panel of four building industry leaders selected from among the most creative and successful individuals within the homebuilding industry.

Judge Sarah Breen said this year’s competition was exceptionally diverse coming from across the Southeast. “Creative ideas in design do not know boundaries,” she said. “We found the variety and level of excellence to be particularly heartening this year.”

About Asturia

Asturia is a mixed-use, master-planned community located in the high-demand State Road 54 corridor in Pasco County. It incorporates retail, office, multifamily and a variety of single-family residential offerings.

The community’s central location offers close proximity to U.S. 41, U.S. 19 and I-75, and is just five minutes from the Suncoast Parkway, and its direct link to Tampa International Airport and the Westshore business district.

Asturia offers residents a kid-friendly, family oriented lifestyle surrounded by community-wide multi-use trails, interspersed with a dog park and pocket parks. Kids especially love the Kompan equipped playground, and everyone enjoys the beautiful amenity center, with its expansive lawn areas, resort-style pool and state-of-the-art fitness center.

Second Phase Opens

It’s been just two years since Asturia began selling homes, and already the award-winning development has moved into its second phase.

 “This is a great time for Asturia right now,” said Lane Gardner, Hines managing director. “Home sales are very strong, and we are thrilled to be releasing a new phase of incredible lots to our builders.”

Asturia’s first phase of 248 home sites has been completed, with beautiful single-family homes built by David Weekley Homes and Ashton Woods. Hines recently announced that ICI Homes has been selected as its third homebuilder.

“It’s a perfect time to add another great builder to the lineup and provide even more home offerings for homebuyers at Asturia,” said Gardner.

Many families have been waiting for Asturia to open its second phase because they offer some of the best woodland conservation views in the entire area.

“The second phase of Asturia features some of the most beautiful lots in all of Pasco County,” said Kevin Jund, the community’s project manager. “It’s really an enclave surrounded by 360-degrees of protected preserves of mature cypress and lush native vegetation. There’s nothing quite like these lots anywhere along the State Road 54 corridor.”

There are a total of 157 large lots in Phase II, with a majority backing up to conservation areas. All lots provide homeowners privacy and a peaceful, quiet surrounding.

A boardwalk connects the two smaller neighborhoods within Phase II, which will tie into the community’s multi-use pathway that meanders for miles through residential areas, parks, playgrounds and the Amenity Center.

When Asturia’s development is complete in a few years, it will likely have less than 550 single-family homes.

“What makes Asturia stand out from other new home developments in the area is our smaller size,” said Jund. “Other communities are looking at 3,000 to over 5,000 homes, and many years of construction. Many families prefer the intimate neighborhood experience that comes with our modest size.”

More information can be obtained by visiting and registering at the community website, AsturiaFlorida.com, or by calling (813) 227-4148.

Hines, a privately owned, global real estate investment, development and management firm that was founded in 1957, is developing Asturia. It is one of the largest and most respected real estate organizations in the world.

Published August 23, 2017