Sunchase is a new 427-acre 55-and-over community with amenities such as pickleball courts, a dog park and a community garden. Groundbreaking is expected within the next two months.
Last year the parish was named to the list of “10 Neighborhoods Where Everything Is Changing” and is still going strong with nearly 1,000 new housing developments under construction.
Sunchase, being built by Del Webb, a division of national homebuilder PulteGroup, will be a gated community for people 55 and older on 427 acres of former Crosswind Ranch farmland, north of Wauchula Road (State Route 62) near Keene Road in Parrish, in northern Manatee County. The parcel was purchased last year for $19,026,000.
Sunchase amenities include a bar and grill, clubhouse, lap and resistance pools, poolside fire pits, a fitness center, pickleball and bocce courts, cabanas, arts and crafts rooms, a dog park, walking trails and a community garden. But “the magic is in the natural spaces,” says Shawn Strickler, president of Pulte Group's West Florida division. Some areas will remain untouched, and a man-made lake offers water views.
Sunchaser also has a community garden, where residents can have their own irrigated plot for a small annual fee and grow crops and plants that they can't grow in their own yards.
The 40-, 50- and 64-foot-wide home sites will feature one-story layouts with two to four bedrooms, two- and three-car garages, large entertainment areas and kitchens. Construction is expected to begin within the next 60 days.
The project is still in the early stages, but Strickler said prices will start in the high $300,000s and go up to the $700,000s for the larger lots. The homes are expected to hit the market in early 2025.
Other communities in Parrish and Manatee counties under the builder's belt include Oakfield Lakes, which is slated for 4,000 single-family homes and 600 apartment complexes; Bayview, with 950 homes; Magnolia Ranch, with 72 homes; Catalina, with 1,300 single-family homes and linked villas; and Sapphire Pointe, with 451 homes.
“Parrish is popular because of its proximity to Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota, Tampa and St. Pete, just across the Skyway, and it's more affordable than Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota,” Strickler said, adding that he's seen interest from both nearby and out of state.
“Demand from buyers from Tampa and Sarasota is very high, and we're seeing some relocation. [into Florida] “Though it has calmed down compared to recent years, it is still expensive and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future,” he said. “The West Coast is getting a lot of attention and is still relatively affordable for people moving from New York and California, where the median prices are very high.”
Original article by Kim Dreath for Sarasota Magazine