FEATURED COMMUNITY

Del Webb, which is developing a 55-plus community within Sunbridge, has broken ground on a 27,000-square-foot complex called Hammock Club, which will feature indoor and outdoor amenities designed to help residents stay healthy and active year round. At 27,000 acres, Sunbridge will eventually encompass numerous communities aimed at a variety of demographics.

DEL WEBB SUNBRIDGE SHINES FOR 55-PLUS BUYERS NEAR LAKE NONA

n March 2020, when Del Webb Sunbridge welcomed its first prospective homebuyers, Clint Ball, president of Pulte-

Group’s North Florida division, said: “Residents of Del Webb

Sunbridge will enjoy an abundance of activities built around their interests. They’ll have many ways to engage in sports, hobbies and other healthy lifestyle pursuits.”

But every developer says that about their active adult communities. Few, though, have the brand equity of Del Webb — since 2001 a brand of PulteGroup Inc. — which built its first retirement community in 1960 (Sun City in Arizona).

In late 2021, as he assessed progress, Tavistock Group Managing Director Jim Zboril said: “We’re super excited about what’s happening out there.” As well he should be. Since that time, with sales continuing at a brisk pace, nothing has happened to curb that enthusiasm.

Sunbridge is a 24,000-acre master-planned community by Tavistock, developer of burgeoning Lake Nona in southeast Orlando. The project sits just east of State Road 417 and south of State Road 528 — less than five miles from Tavistock’s signature “Medical City,” with its health sciences facilities and hightech neighborhoods.

In a nutshell, that’s the setting for one of the newest and most promising places to live for retired and retiring boomers who want to continue to explore, grow and learn.

There are 1,350 single-family homes and villas planned for Del Webb Sunbridge, to be brought on in stages. As of late December 2021, 342 homes had closed with prices starting in the mid-$300s. More than 500 people are now happily living there.

The featured attraction at Del Webb Sunbridge — in addition to competitively priced homes and proximity to Lake Nona — will be a 27,000-square-foot, resort-style clubhouse, now under construction and scheduled to be open in the first half of 2022.

There residents will enjoy fitness and wellness areas, an indoor/outdoor tavern, a grille pavilion, an aerobic exercise studio, and wet and dry craft rooms as well as a ballroom for special occasions.

In addition, there’ll be an outdoor resort-style pool along with courts for tennis and pickleball, walking trails, sports fields, a playground and a community garden. Plus, there’s already a full-time lifestyle director who has brought residents together for social events and is planning a full calendar for 2022. “An abundance of activities” indeed.

Complementing those community amenities is easy access to Lake Nona’s medical facilities as well as local shopping, dining, schools and the U.S. Tennis Association National Campus.

Medical City — not an official term, but an apt one — contains the UCF Lake Nona Medical Center, AdventHealth Lake

The Ellenwood model, priced from the mid-$300s, is 1,579 square feet in size with two to three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage. Its floorplan features a formal entryway and foyer that leads into an airy kitchen, café and gathering room.

Nona, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nemours Children’s Hospital and a variety of other healthcare facilities.

Further, in February 2021, AdventHealth and Del Webb Sunbridge partnered to deliver new health and wellness services in the form of fitness training, wellness classes and spa services, as well as access to a wellness ambassador exclusive to the community.

During the partnership announcement, Ball emphasized the “active and healthy lifestyle” approach for residents at the heart of every Del Webb community.

As for the homes at Del Webb Sunbridge, buyers can choose from a selection of 13 design options from three design collections — which span homes with two to five bedrooms, two to five bathrooms and two- to three-car garages.

The community’s Distinctive Series includes seven floorplans that range in size from 1,670 to 2,808 square feet. For example, the Prestige model (priced starting at $427,990) is 2,080 square feet and offers two to three bedrooms, 2.5 to 3.5 bathrooms and two- or three-car garages. The floorplan also includes walk-in closets.

The Echelon Series has five floorplans that range in size from 2,269 to 3,452 square feet. For example, the Stardom plan (priced from $513,990) is 2,269 square feet and has two to three bedrooms, 2.5 to 3.5 bathrooms and two- or threecar garages. The plan also features an expansive kitchen and covered lanais.

At the highest end of the spectrum, the two-story, 3,453- square-foot Stellar Grand has options that include up to five bedrooms and five baths, as well as three-car garages. Its starting price is $593,490.

There’s an attached-home option called the Ellenwood (priced from the mid-$300s), measuring 1,579 square feet with two to three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage.

Its floorplan is emblematic of the versatility and efficiency for which Del Webb is known: A formal entryway and foyer lead into an airy kitchen, café and gathering room. Just off the foyer is a flex room for an office or den. The owner’s suite serves as a retreat and features a luxe bathroom and spacious walk-in closet.

Then there’s the second phase of Del Webb Sunbridge. Official land-development plans are expected to be announced in early 2022. “We’re excited about the attention that Del Webb Sunbridge has attracted,” concluded Ball. “With everything this growing area has to offer — including sustainable living, healthcare education and technology — it’s easy to see why people are choosing to make this area their new home.” n —Michael Candelaria