TAYLOR MORRISON OPENS FIRE CREEK IN CHARMING GOTHA

The exclusive community of Fire Creek is set on a parcel of land in Gotha, a historic rural settlement tucked between Ocoee and Windermere that was founded in 1885 by German immigrant H.A. Hempel and named after a town in Germany.

Although it measures only one square mile, tiny Gotha has managed to maintain its historic roots and charm despite Central Florida’s encroaching development.

A narrow two-lane country road, vintage cottages, a Carpenter Gothic church (the 1913 Church of Christ), Nehrling Gardens (the home and surrounding grounds of Dr. Henry Nehrling, one of Florida’s pioneer horticulturists and naturalists) and super-cool Yellow Dogs Eats (a restaurant housed in an erstwhile general store) are just a few of the charming attributes that make Gotha such a desirable place to live.

Nestled in this setting is one of Taylor Morrison’s newest luxury communities. Fire Creek, with only 42 oversized lots, boasts some of the widest homesites for new construction in the Orlando area.

Stacie Cornell, regional marketing manager for Taylor Morrison, says Phase One of the gated community will consist of 34 homes, including some with water views. Phase Two will be an intimate section of eight oversized lots.

Just past the gate of Phase One, a butterfly garden is taking shape. Certified by the National Wildlife Federation, the garden will be resplendent with flowering plants and framed by palm and magnolia trees — and, of course, it’ll be busy with butterflies.

At the far end of Phase One, there’ll be a tot lot. Sidewalks, currently under construction, will be lined with black lantern-style lampposts to provide an upscale finishing touch. Phase Two, which hasn’t yet begun construction, backs up to Gotha Park, a small recreational green space.

Homeowners in Fire Creek will also enjoy proximity to the area’s lakes. Cornell notes that residents can launch their boats from Lake Down and Keene’s Park, two nearby access ramps for the Butler Chain of Lakes. Bird Island, a popular destination for water picnics, is an easy boat ride away.

As for the homes, Fire Creek will offer six luxurious, energy-efficient floorplans, each with three-car garages. Home prices start at $909,995.

The models include Lincoln (2,862 square feet) and Beacon (3,302 square feet), which are one-story with three-bedroom options. The other four floorplans are two stories.

Humboldt (3,502 square feet) has four bedrooms and four baths, while Encanto (4,120 square feet) has four bedrooms and 3.5 baths. Forsyth (4,720 square feet) has five bedrooms with four baths and a study, while Patterson (5,234 square feet) has seven bedrooms, 6.5 baths and a study.

Cornell adds that one of the factors setting Taylor Morrison homes apart from other builders is the company’s “TM LiveWell” suite of home features and products designed to provide cleaner air and water and reduce the amount of chemicals in the home.

Items included are MERV 13 air filters that can trap 90 percent of harmful air particles, hands-free kitchen faucets, antibacterial room fans and others. They come standard at no additional cost to the homeowner, she points out.

From Fire Creek it’s easy to get on state roads 429 and 408 as