Pasco County is a well-known destination for cyclists, so it’s no surprise that Bexley, one of the county’s most popular housing communities, is attracting bike lovers from all over the region.
The master-planned community by Newland Communities is located in Land O’ Lakes, just east of the Suncoast Parkway on State Road 54. It has earned numerous awards, including Best Master-Planned Community and Best Recreational Facility by the Southeast Building Conference, and Best in American Living Award for the Best Single-Family Community by the National Association of Home Builders.
In addition to its many awards, what sets Bexley apart from other communities is its miles of trails for cycling, walking and jogging (which may one day link to the 42-mile Suncoast Trail), its BMX pump track and soon, an on-site bike shop.
This spring, Odessa-based Suncoast Trailside Bicycles will add a new location within the Bexley community. The full-service shop, which will be open seven days a week, will offer tune-ups, sales and rentals, for residents and visitors.
“From the very beginning, we wanted Bexley to be a community that encouraged an active lifestyle where residents enjoy the beautiful scenery and acres of nature preserves,” said Pam Parisi, vice president of marketing for Newland Communities. “Having a bike shop within the community is a natural fit, and we couldn’t have found a better partner than Geoff Lanier and Suncoast Trailside Bicycles.”
“Once I saw the plans for Bexley and learned what the community was about, I was all in,” said Suncoast Trailside owner Geoff Lanier. “We can’t wait to open.”
Lanier is excited to be offering bike rentals for adults and children. “We’ve always had requests for rentals, but we never had enough space at our Odessa location. Now in Bexley, we can offer this service.”
In addition to renting traditional bicycles, the Bexley Suncoast Trailside store will offer battery-powered e-bikes, which Lanier said have become very popular over the past few years. Users can turn off the battery and pedal, or turn it on when they need some extra assistance.
Lanier is also looking forward to offering cycling and BMX clinics at Bexley for bikers of all skill levels. And, he’s already teamed up with Chef Ashley Davis, who runs Bexley’s Twisted Sprocket Café, for Bike and Brew events within the community. The café, which is open to the public, serves breakfast, lunch, desserts, smoothies, wine, craft beer and coffee drinks.
The bike shop will be located right next door to The Bexley Club, the community’s lakefront amenity center with its two resort-style pools and screened-in game room. Residents also enjoy other amenities in Bexley, including several open spaces for sports fields, a large event lawn for community events and festivals, custom-built playgrounds, and two dog parks.
Bexley’s prime location in central Pasco County provides direct access to the Suncoast Parkway and is convenient to many areas of Tampa Bay. The community consists of 1,825 acres of pastoral ranch lands, mature woodlands and cypress wetlands, with Newland dedicating 1,200 acres to remain in its pristine natural state.
In the 18 months since Bexley opened, it has distinguished itself as one of Tampa Bay’s top-selling properties with over 300 new homes sold. Homes begin in the low $200,000s and include single-family, luxury, and low-maintenance townhomes, courtyards and villas.
“Bexley is a vibrant community for people at all stages of life, especially those who are looking for an active lifestyle, and greater connections with each other and the outdoors. It’s just a wonderful community to live in, whether you’re a family with kids, just starting out, or looking to downsize,” Parisi adds.
Bexley is the fourth master-planned community for Newland in the Tampa Bay area, joining FishHawk Ranch, MiraBay and Waterset in south Hillsborough County. For information, visit BexleyFlorida.com.
Published March 28, 2018
