Fourth fastest-selling master-planned community in U.S. rebrands as Wellen Park

West Villages is now a district within Wellen Park

VENICE, FL, June 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - The country's fourth fastest-selling master-planned community, West Villages, has launched a new name and brand for the developer's entire land holdings that encompass not only West Villages, but the adjacent 7,000 acres of undeveloped land as well. The master-planned community is now Wellen Park.  

West Villages is now a district within Wellen Park, along with new districts Playmore and Downtown Wellen.

"We initiated this branding process so that we can plan for a strategic, long-term representation for our master-planned community, which includes 7,000 acres of undeveloped land," said Rick Severance, president of Wellen Park. "By transitioning West Villages into a district, or locale, within Wellen Park, we're able to appropriately scale all that is included within the community. From a business standpoint, Wellen Park enables us to manage the brand that represents our development plan."

Wellen Park currently has 7,500 residents and has sold an average of 1,300 homes each year. At full build-out, Wellen Park will have more than 60,000 residents and 22,000 homes.

"As future development plans for our master-planned community solidified and the demand from additional homebuilders grew, the need for a master or new brand became clear," said Severance. "We're extremely proud to introduce Wellen Park. This is a neighborly and sincere community of families and friends who enjoy an active lifestyle that cultivates physical and emotional wellbeing."  

The community's brand and vision are rooted in wellness. Its name is taken from a dual meaning of the word "wellen," which translates to waves in German and wellness in Dutch. Wellen Park is a next-generation community that is designed to deliver an approachable, fun-loving experience focused on living well at every stage of life.

Wellen Park's wellness focus is holistic and practical. It's designed to give residents greater opportunities to connect with one another, take care of themselves and encourage a healthy and active lifestyle, all within an inclusive, genuine community vibe. New healthcare services and medical facilities are planned to serve residents. The community's extensive nature and fitness trails offer robust outdoor recreation and ample opportunity to exercise and connect with other residents. An additional 25 miles of trails will be added to the existing 18-mile trail network, including a 2.7-mile path encircling Downtown Wellen's 80-acre lake, currently under excavation.

Currently under construction, Downtown Wellen will include a vibrant hub filled with shopping, dining, entertainment and other amenities. The $60-million mixed-use development will be open to residents and visitors alike and feature waterfront experiences, pedestrian-friendly streets and public community spaces.

Phase One of Downtown Wellen, which will include retail shops; waterfront dining and other restaurants; a town hall; a kids' playground and splash pad; a food truck kiosk area; and an outfitter equipped with e-bikes, paddle boards and kayaks to enjoy the active lake, is expected to open early 2022. Long-term plans within Downtown Wellen, which is nearly 175 acres, include an apartment complex and assisted living community, as well as hotel space.

Wellen Park's new Welcome Center will open later this year, a dynamic space where residents and visitors can spend time and learn more about Wellen Park, its neighborhoods and amenities, and the region. A new cafe attached to the Welcome Center, called Barrel and Bean, will offer a central gathering place with coffee, craft beer and wine service.

The Welcome Center is adjacent to the West Villages Marketplace, a 105,000-square-foot shopping plaza that fronts U.S. 41, a major thoroughfare in the region. Anchored by Publix, one of the nation's top-ranked grocery stores, the Marketplace features a mix of regional, local and national service providers and restaurants that offers convenient options for residents and visitors. A new fire and rescue station, also located along U.S. 41, will soon be under development with the City of North Port to serve residents.

"We're exploring hotel options within Wellen Park, which would serve well to complement spring training games and other events at the Atlanta Braves stadium, as well as Downtown Wellen," said Severance.

Adjacent to Downtown Wellen, the Atlanta Braves' spring training stadium is located in Playmore District. The only Major League Baseball spring training complex open year-round, the park is also home to public events held throughout the year, including car shows, craft fairs, movie nights and a farmers market. An attached outdoor tiki bar also hosts a monthly concert series.

There will be expanded education options for Wellen Park residents with a K-12 school planned to open through the A-rated Sarasota County Schools district. Already located within the community, the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota's 100-acre Venice campus offers a broad variety of educational opportunities, from associate's and bachelor's degrees to noncredit and personal enrichment courses, as well as a collegiate school where students can attain a high school diploma and an Associate of Arts degree concurrently upon graduation.

Wellen Park currently offers single-family and attached homes in nine neighborhoods from homebuilders D.R. Horton, DiVosta, Lennar, Mattamy Homes, M/I Homes, Neal Communities, Sam Rodgers and WCI in the West Villages District. The single-family home floorplans range from 1,350 to nearly 4,000 square feet and prices range from the low $200s to the $600s.

In the new Playmore District, several national homebuilders are under contract for 2,000 homesites amongst six new neighborhoods, including one neighborhood with a bundled golf course. The homebuilders, including some new to Wellen Park, will offer a diverse range of home options, including single-family, villas, townhomes and coach homes.

Mattamy Homes, North America's largest home builder, is the developer and majority landholder of Wellen Park. For more information about living at Wellen Park, call 941-960-7805 or visit wellenpark.com.

SOURCE Wellen Park