Central Pkwy/Eastport
 

Word has it, the Developer named the street near Eastport, Central Pkwy because when construction is complete, this area will now be the center of the Villages. If my calculations are correct, our population is going to explode approaching 1/2 million! A city possibly larger than Orlando or Tampa.

UPDATE: THANKS TO THOSE WHO HAVE CONFIRMED ON THIS THREAD THAT THIS IS NOT A RUMOR. WHEN YOU WANT THE TRUTH, JUST ASK TOTV! THANKS AGAIN! This information will help when I purchase a new home.

Here are my calculations. Population now 140,000. Multiply by two since Developer has stated Villages is going to double in size. A 280,OOO population.

But, this does not include the many outside developments in Lady Lake, Beaumont, or apartment buildings, townhouses, etc. It also does not include homes with children or multi-generational living.

Yikes! I can only imagine what traffic is going to be like in a few years. Overcrowded, everywhere? What do you think?

Some current populations for comparison:
Tampa: 395,276
Orlando: 312, 280
Miami: 452,952
Jacksonville: 954, 614

Please note: this is not a bash the south post. Population includes everyone. Please spare those remarks.

Who has been saying this? I don't think even the Developer knows where they center will end up being.

You're not factoring "metro area" of these cities. All of these cities are much older than The Villages and the historic area of each is only counted in the population figures as they're all surrounded by suburbs in each direction. Tampa's metro area is 3.2 million. The Tampa Bay area had a larger population than the Villages has now 100 years ago (mid 1920's).

I think "central parkway" was just chose as descriptive name for that area in general. It's a parkway that goes up the center of that particular area.

.[/QUOTE] Hopefully, you are correct about the naming of Central Pkwy and it is just another one of those rumors. I have heard it several times and am starting to believe it. A few people told me they read the Developer purchased enough land to build for 23 yrs. I have experienced the Villages population sweltering to 140,000 from a a few thousand. In my eyes, anything is possible. I have lived it! If there is land, they are going to build.

Funny, how things get in your head! This is why I am asking, want to hear from people who are "in the know". Anyone know how much available land the developer has purchased? And, if there is a significant amount of available land for other developments?

Note: Did not include the metro areas, I was explicitly talking about the cities themselves for comparison. Including metro areas like Fruitland park, Bellevue, Oxford, etc, makes the population numbers worse.

Assuming on average:

Construction rate is about 5,000 homes per year.

Occupancy is 1.7 people per home.

Population growth would be 8,500/yr

It will take about 16yrs to add 140,000 residents.

Around here "word has it" is usually a good story and seldom accurate.

I missed my pedicure appointment this month so have been up on the gossip of Central Parkway.

But unless You are family, one has no idea the inter work of the developer, until they choose, or if they choose to make something public.

So guessing is all this thread is.

Also, “I have heard it several times and am starting to believe it.”

Look at it this way: The Developer is now into their 4th generation building homes and amenities in The Villages. A safe assumption would be that as long as there is available land to develop, and the demand for new homes continues, they will continue to build and expand. I doubt most of us living here now will live to see the end of it.

I recently moved here with eyes “wide open”, knowing about the future development and growth - this actually played into my decision to move here - there is a vibrancy that comes with growth - so the place doesn’t feel like an “old folks home” and sedate like so many other 55+ communities throughout the US that I visited. I can’t wait for all the new restaurants / amenities / entertainment options that will come with Eastport, Middleton and beyond! I guess if I was wanting to live I’m a sleepy retirement hamlet, I would choose to live someplace else.

They will stop building when they run out of land that is available at the price they are willing to pay. We will all be long gone when that happens.

16 years and I won't care

The next generation living here will get to worry.

We have been here for 7 years and we think things are better than ever. We enjoy all of the new amenities in the Southern Area, except for the wretched Sawgrass area.

Hopefully, you are correct about the naming of Central Pkwy and it is just another one of those rumors. I have heard it several times and am starting to believe it. A few people told me they read the Developer purchased enough land to build for 23 yrs. I have experienced the Villages population sweltering to 140,000 from a a few thousand. In my eyes, anything is possible. I have lived it! If there is land, they are going to build.

Funny, how things get in your head! This is why I am asking, want to hear from people who are "in the know". Anyone know how much available land the developer has purchased? And, if there is a significant amount of available land for other developments?

Note: Did not include the metro areas, I was explicitly talking about the cities themselves for comparison. Including metro areas like Fruitland park, Bellevue, Oxford, etc, makes the population numbers worse.[/QUOTE]

If you look at the map on The Villages web site it clearly outlines the land they currently own for development. If you look at the adjacent properties to all of this, there is no significant acreage available, mostly individual family lots. The only large adjacent acreage is about 3400 acres owned by First Berkshire in Lake County, west of the turnpike and south of CR 470. I would image they would want a hefty return on their investment here.

I would seem there is more than enough available land to keep building for quite some time.

if you go to the Villages app and search homes, you can change the view to "MAP" This shows you the land where the developer is planning to build residences. There is a huge area still south of 470 that is owned by them. Almost down to Centerville. There has also been a couple of articles that the Villages has bought more land South but right now these purchases are not attached to the land owned without the purchase of the parcel in between. Based on the information available today, Central Parkway is probably aptly names.

460
 

Will we ever get 470 back without all those roundabouts etc? The sooner, the better.

Someday Central Parkway will be considered to be in the northern section of the Villages

My wife and I just bought a home in Hawkins. Our realtor told us, in a few years, we will be located in the center of the Villages. We are looking forward to the changes. We love our new home!

Welcome. Most of the changes are for the better, some though not quite as good.

Agree, put in stop signs, lights and speed bumps....that will make people happy :rolleyes:

Or just make it the way it was before the developer decided how it should be. We had zero impediments to traffic, the speed limit was 60 and it was a 5 minute shot from the turnpike to 301.

Not likely.

Do you mean 470?

Lol…yes 470

Nope, four lane Central Parkway is a huge safety improvement over two lane 470.

Thought so but I was looking for 460 on the map. LOL!!

Got it, so you think 470 was a huge safety problem and the Villages interpretation for their better good is more important than a straight road that has been there for 50 plus years for the rest of us.

470 was not marked 60mph and even traveling that speed it would take more than five minutes to go the 7.5 miles from 301 to the Turnpike. Either that memory is wrong or there was just a bit of excessive speed along that road. I'm not going to bother trying to find accident reports to see how safe it was.

I think it probably was a safety problem when it went crossed empty fields. But those fields aren't all empty any longer. 470/Central Parkway now runs near or through Middleton, will be close to Eastport, and will be surrounded by new Villages soon. Things change.

Curious
 

It would be moot to argue timing, I just wonder if it takes much longer than that with the “improvements”? I would measure to guess the travel time has at least doubled? But then The Developer was fairly successful in destroying most of the roadway with its trucks and self proclaimed diversions anyway.

So, from five minutes to ten minutes. Yep, quite an issue.

Not a chance. It's being changed permanently...

Absolutely, 470 is a heavily traveled shoulderless rural 2 lane where many driving 70+.

Late passers often running people off the road with no shoulder.

Not unusual to be passed by someone doing 90+.

There were an average of three EMS/Fire respones a day. This has dropped to just a few a week.

Some incidents on the old design were serious/fatality centerline crossover accidents.

The difference in transit time from 470 at MBT to the Turnpike is less than 5 min at posted speed limit. And you can safely pass slow traffic since there are 4 Lanes.

Slow down and enjoy the ride.

To my knowledge, virtually everybody in TV is HERE by CHOICE. IF your CHOICE is to LEAVE, for whatever reason, you’ll PROFIT from your time here, and be replaced by someone who WANTS to be HERE.

During the rogue salesmen trial, Jennifer Parr said, under oath, that The Villages will double in size and that State Road 44 is now seen by the Morse family as the geographic center of the community.

When property goes for sale anyone can purchase it, If the Villages don’t purchase it, someone else will and the building will continue. Nothing you or I can really do
about it, just grab your popcorn and sit back and relax and watch the show.

Thanks! I was hoping someone could fill me in completely..Now I know it is not a just a rumor. Like the last poster said, sit back, grab some popcorn and enjoy the show. I am looking forward to the many new amenities but not the traffic.(Guess we can't have everything)

The fact that the Developer had the power to take 470, a main road for 18 wheelers to reach the turnpike from 75 traveling at 55 mph (which they never honored), and turn it into a 45 mph roundabout joy ride should explain everything regarding the well oiled machine called The Villages. That change alone showed pretty impressive clout. It will never go back to that old pretty road where cows roamed free in beautiful pastures and wild boars got hit.

Well as others have asked.....how did you hear this? Coming on a social media site to ask your main question is like throwing sand into the wind. Rumors abound in this community and few are true. Someone said that only the developer knows the answer(s) you ask. Live here long enough and you might know that!!! Besides, I think many of us won't be here to experience what you fear. Someone once said the only thing to fear is fear itself!! Just take deep breathes and relax!

Lots of ranch land (that pays little if any in property taxes) in FL for the future McDonalds hamburgers to graze.

The county/state could have (should have) made 470 a 4 lane divided east/west 75/Turnpike connector road years before the Villages purchased the land.

301 is another example that's 10 years behind need.

Then there's the repaving of 44 with its miles of sidewalks to nowhere which seems to have come to a screeching halt.

Oh, oh, oh! Here's an opportunity to start a new one. I hear that (grin) the real center of The Villages was always intended to be Avenida Central. (After all, look at the name!) The developers are going to buy up both Spruce Creeks and Stonecrest and raze all the individual homes around them, expanding NORTH all the way to Jacksonville! Spread it around, folks, you saw it here first so it must be true.