Sumter vs New Square

[nanci2539]

Is there a neighborhood that is pretty central to both squares? I'm assuming once they put in the new square that shopping centers or malls will also go in.

We would like to live in Sumter but don't want a golf cart ride more than 10-15 mintues to either square.

[SteveFromNY]

The areas near 466A should be close to both.

[vsanantonio]

I live in Mallory Hill and I think we are just about central in the TV

[another Linda]

We bought in Rio Grande and are less than a mile from Spanish springs and a little over a mile from Lake Sumter. I guess we'll be pretty far from the new square when that goes in, but I really like our location.

[punkpup]

Pardon my ignorance; although I know that there is going to be another square and if I remember correctly the theme for the new square is going to be Western I have no clue where it's going to be. Can anyone enlighten me?

[Barefoot]

If you hit the search button at the top and type in Brownwood, you'll get lots of info from previous posts. ;D

[jtdraig]

Liberty Park, Mallory, Hadley, Duval....and around these Villages are in what will be the geographic center of the The Villages.

[Villages Kahuna]

...appears to be the geographic center of The Villages after it's all built out.

We live in Mallory and I can say that we can enjoy either Lake Sumter or Spanish Springs with an easy golf cart ride. No way would we ever consider using a golf cart to get to Brownwood. It's gotta be 7-8 miles from here, more like the distance from Mallory to Nancy Lopez. Beyond that we have easy access to the retail along 441 as well as the new retail development on 466A just east of Morse. The new 466A retail is only 2 miles from us. For awhile there won't be much new retail further west near where Brownwood will eventually be.

A house close to Lake Sumter Landing seems like a great central location to me.

[golfnut]

Seems if you're near Lake Sumter or a little south of it you be somewhat near the center.

barefoot, what are you doing posting at 3:46am in the morning????

[Barefoot]

Seems if you're near Lake Sumter or a little south of it you be somewhat near the center.

barefoot, what are you doing posting at 3:46am in the morning????


Don't forget about the new Buffalo Ridge area between Southern Trace and the new Walmart (466/101 area). Not a town centre for sure; but there are many new stores going in there plus a huge Fish restaurant. Accessible by golf cart.

Golfnut, I'm posting at 3:46 am because I spend the nights making up "to do lists" like any good newbie, so I can shop all day long. :read:

[F16 1UB]

Sorry folks but it always cracks me up when I hear people question about living in a central location so they may be close to things in TV. Once we get to TV it'll be a pay raise (less gas to buy) because we don't have to drive 56 miles round trip to see civilization, grocery shop, and get ice cream at Brusters. I really have gotten good at driving with my knees while eating a coffee hot fudge sundae. And you thought cell phone users were a hazard!!!!!!! ;D

Steve

[Russ_Boston]

Coffee Hot Fudge Sundae?

Are you sure you're not from New England? That's a staple in RI.

[captain1202]

Brigham's?

[Russ_Boston]

Not a Brigham's fan, that was more of the north area.

My neck of the woods was usually Bristol Farms or Cresent Ridge etc.

[Frangyomory]

Personally, I have no intention of visiting Brownwood very often unless they have something REALLY interesting there. It will be too close to the town of Wildwood and from what I can see, Wildwood is a haven for criminals. I don't want to have to worry about getting my pocket picked while in the new town square. :edit:

[Cliff]

Watch out, Frangyomory, the "Negativity Police" will be hitting on you. We are being told to accept Wildwood as a partner to TVs. :joke:

[pili]

What's wrong with Wildwood? I was looking at houses FSBO and there were homes listed in Wildwood reading "near" TV. I take it Wildwood is a place to stay away from?

[Frangyomory]

Crime rate is high in Wildwood. Unfortunately, unemployment is also high. Problems in schools, etc. I would just as soon not live too close to Wildwood. My own personal opinion. Don't want to offend anyone or have the "happy cops" on my tail, but to each his own and I like being away from high crime areas.

[Avista]

I don't have anything against Wildwood. Many of these small towns were here long before The Villages.

[jadebox]

I have real good friends that live at Continental Country Club in Wildwood. Brownwood will be just down the street from them. They have been there over a year and have not had nor have seen any problems with the area.

[Villages Kahuna]

The closer the development of TV gets to Wildwood, including the construction and opening of the Brownwood town square, the more changes you can expect in Wildwood. Whether the changes are positive or not depend on your perspective.

Wildwood was originally a small town serving the local farmers and ranchers. It was and is decidedly "scruffy" by most Villagers standards. But it is well-loved by it's residents and merchants. It was "their" home town surrounded by their homes, farms and ranches.

Holding true to the well-proven saying that "real estate (and real estate values) will seek it's highest and best use", Wildwood has already begun to change as TV has begun to encroach. Since Brownwood was announced, well-located commercial properties have skyrocketed in value. Wildwood is at the very beginning of some massive change.

Will the town be "better"? That depends on perspective. If you are a local who is being displaced by the increasing cost of living in Wildwood and the change in the town's character, probably not. If you want Wildwood to look like and offer commercial offerings more like TV and surrounds, you'll probably like the new Wildwood.

The changes will take time, for sure. And while the locals are being displaced to find homes and businesses elsewhere, there may be some evidence of really bad feelings. But none of that will change the fact that Wildwood will undergo massive change in coming years. It's already begun.

[jtdraig]

Wildwood was founded in 1877 and has been a place that has been changed a lot..the first as a cattle town then as a major railroad junction and then by the confluence of the Turnpike and I-75 and now by The Villages. Wildwood today is a "has been" town that is relatively poor and has an uncomfortable crime rate driven by drugs. I have to think that as the The Villages continues it's march down to 44 that Wildwood will be cleaned up big time. I seriously doubt that Brownwood would have been located where it is unless that assumption is somewhere at the top of the priority list. The name "Brownwood" and all the hoaky little stuff in that newspaper is a topic for another day! But, at least, it does go back to the history of this area in the mid-1800's.

[ewstanley]

Thanks for the information about Wildwood.
I think that everyone can use a little history lesson about the area and I find it fascinating.
I am glad that jt & Kahuna were able to elaborate on Wildwood.
:)

[Peggy D]

:agree:
I think you're right about the changes in Wildwood with the growth of TV.* It will take some time, but I'm* sure the TV gods thought this all out before deciding on Brownwood.

FYI--There is an Amtrak station in Wildwood.* It's aprox 10-12 miles from TV.* This is great news for us, being a former Amtrak employee (hubby), we ride the train for free!!

[Avista]

Does the Amtrak passenger train stop in Wildwood. If it does, what great news. Does anyone know?

[Cliff]

If I remember correctly, they ceased passenger traffic at the Wildwood station. That happened a couple of years ago. Only freight goes along those tracks now. :(

[Peggy D]

If I remember correctly, they ceased passenger traffic at the Wildwood station. That happened a couple of years ago. Only freight goes along those tracks now. :(


Check Amtrak's scheduling. It's listed as a stop.

From north take train to Jacksonville. Change trains there and continue to Wildwood.

To be sure I will call Amtrak and let you know.

[Bubbalarry]

Hadley Village were I live is about 3/4 mile to 466A but off Morse Blvd. Still it's close to both Sumter & Brownwood.

[PJ]

Re: Amtrak in Wildwood is listed as a stop. (Sorry Topicop!)

Warning! I did this on a trip to No. VA! And it wasn't what you'd expect! From Wildwood "Amtrak" is a BUS that takes hours, and stops at every little bus stop all the way to Jacksonville. It was awful. There you get a train and continue North.

IMHO, Amtrak really needs to work on improving this, and if they would, I think there would be lots of us who would use it.

[Peggy D]

Re: Amtrak in Wildwood is listed as a stop. (Sorry Topicop!)

Warning! I did this on a trip to No. VA! And it wasn't what you'd expect! From Wildwood "Amtrak" is a BUS that takes hours, and stops at every little bus stop all the way to Jacksonville. It was awful. There you get a train and continue North.

IMHO, Amtrak really needs to work on improving this, and if they would, I think there would be lots of us who would use it.




:agree: The trip is ugly!

Amtrak and trip south is totally another topic, but one that is worth writing about....

We,ve taken the trip by train to FL twice--and flew home!!! But as former Amtrak employee (and family) it is free for us (with restrictions) and worth taking now since time is not a concern.

[DickY]

In all my time on The Villages site I never really looked on the About Us button at The Villages Commercial Property button. There is some good information there. Demographics, Commercial Property, (that has the locations of all the current and proposed areas) and downloads. In downloads there is a 2007 aerial poster that is more current than Google Earth or MapQuest. Worth looking at. 024 http://www.thevillagescommercialproperty.com/

[Irish Rover]

Can anyone tell me the web site for the cameras at each town square? Thanks

[Village Kid 2]

http://www.thevillages.com/lifestyle/marketSquare.asp

Here is the Lake Sumpter webcam site.

[Russ_Boston]

SS http://www.thevillages.com/lifestyle/cam_ss.asp

LSL http://www.thevillages.com/lifestyle/cam_lsl.asp