The Villages Construction Update #141 - The Village of Well Point under construction!
 

Here's my latest construction update video, the Village of Well Point is under construction, this and many more things!

https://youtu.be/523n6ev-VSA

Thank you for putting this on here - very informative.

Another very informative video Don.

It exhausting to see how much is going on so I imagine even more so to keep track of and do the work.

Very curious about the multiple/temporary Central Parkway roads. Has anything been made public about the roads in Lake County south of 470?

Wondering if 470 and the Turnpike/470 exchange might be moved south as part of the Turnpike expansion.

Thank you as always Don!

A little info on the last Wingnut live at 35:35. He doesn't talk about it being moved south, but does say they will have to rebuild it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHFXi9oBVf0&t=2224s

The turnpike expansion is a separate project from the Lake County agreement to expand CR470 to 4 lanes. Will they be worked together/at the same time, hard to say, but they will have to coordinate and the FTE will have a huge say in what Lake County actually does. I don't believe that relocating the interchange is feasible however reworking it will be a necessity.
I worked on the Florida Turnpike on a toll system upgrade project throughout the state for 7 years and sat through a lot of meetings and discussions on growth with the FTE, they have a lot of set standards for exit/entry designs, the 470 interchange is a low volume bi-directional interchange. With the growth in the area, they need to shift to a design that can accommodate a higher traffic count at 470 (and US301) as a part of the overall expansion of the turnpike.

I haven't seen anything but some preliminary drawings on the plans for the 470 widening, but more should be coming soon. I'll let people know when I find more information.

Thanks Don - understood!

One of the new 470 bypass roads in your video appeared to be turning south?

I would have never guessed how they completely replaced 470 so should be interesting what they come up with.

You seemed to wonder why the shift to building Wellpoint...
There are a few dots popping up, and what if they are connected like this.
Megisson/Morse tunnel being inspected for sinkholes. It's so new, why the concern? Thinking there are structural problems observed and using ground penetrating radar is not normally needed unless they are looking for something very serious.
Golf cart travel to Sawgrass, and points south needs that tunnel. If that tunnel is closed long term, what alternatives are available?
Corbin Trail could be the link they will need. But it's blocked off for construction.

So what if developer has had some information (for many months) that points to a long term closure of that tunnel?
Recognizing the need for golf cart connectivity between everything being built south, to Brownwood, stores, gasoline, etc,... he shifted focus upon getting Wellpoint done asap so he can open Corbin and McNeil.

Thoughts?
Wonder if another bridge is in the works over the turnpike. Maybe Warm Springs Rd?

With the news of the problems with that tunnel, I was thinking the exact same thing you posted here.

Interesting theory.

At least the southern Warm Springs bridge is not wide enough to add 4 lanes to the Turnpike so will need be replaced. But that's probably 3+ years away.

Don. Not that it's that important, but the folks at ABC Liquor Store(I can't remember why I was there?) said the building next door is going to be a mattress store? Cheers!

Perhaps they are enjoying a little too much of their own products. The plans and permits say outback steak.

I hope Don doesn't mind me stealing his thunder sharing he announced on FB McNeil Drive and Corbin Trail should be opening on Friday.

This includes the entrance to Wellpoint and will provide more direct connectivity between newer Villages along the Turnpike.

https://youtu.be/y_sYgBZXZgU?si=n_otgeb58ZBWRqlX

Not only the newer Villages along the Turnpike, but villages like Fenney, DeSoto and McClure who have been waiting years for better connectivity to the east side of The Villages.

Absolutely!

McNeil to Bexley may be a better route to the Turnpike and reduce some of the congestion at MBT/Central Parkway/470.

That's quite a take....something tells me you might have some sources

Some of the streets in Wellpoint as well as McNeill are now showing on the Villages map.

Maybe Not
 

They don’t have to drop the bridge at Warm Springs? It already seems wide enough?

We will probably see the clover leaf design at 470? Traffic is really amping up at that interchange. It would only make sense to accommodate future use. Semi transportation utilizing the route has to be way up.

I was told over a year ago when I first started looking to buy by my realtor that after Dabney the next 2 villages would be Moultry Creek and Well Point. And that construction would meet in Eastport at the end. Nothing appears to be incorrect in what she said back then.

For sure. There's definitely a master plan...and it's expanding

It looks like this from the Turnpike.

Appears the sides will need 40+ feet on each side including the shoulders.

Or
 

Or they could just reduce the median.

Does it look like enough room between the posts to you?

Maybe....for a monorail!

Piles
 

Sure, the piles could be an issue

Looks like the dots connected, and finally made it to a public press release.
Just announced closing of tunnel for soil repair. No mention of that nasty "S" word (yet).

I've made that trip from sawgrass to everglade a few times using that route, it's a nice drive.

Since they're redesigning an entire exit/entrance interchange, this is usually a good time to call up Buc-ee's to see if they'll put in another mega-store with exit lanes feeding right into their property, as has happened in other areas.

*Puts on helmet and shield to fend off incoming lobs from anti-Buc-ee's folks and their missives.*

Buc-ees sells a plastic batting helmet with their logo, just sayin

Not from this guy....Buc-ee’s would be a slam dunk. You want good, responsible commerce....that outfit is 1st class

Not a chance, with a new location, soon to be, just up the road near Ocala..

Maybe a Buc-ee's Express! Only 24 pumps!

Buc-ee's plans to build an 80,000-square-foot building, 120 gas pumps as well as 750 regular parking spaces.
Bidding starting in 2025.

It appears there are at least two spec homes in Wellpoint (near Corbin Trail) being built with pools.

Have they ever done this before?

A lot of the model homes they built in McClure had pools. Maybe these will be models. Or maybe they’re trying something new with spec homes.

They have been building pools at spec homes since 2012. Probably even sooner but that was the year we were looking.
There were cottages, designers available, with pools. We looked at multiple spec pool homes in at 3 different villages. Big difference was they didn’t sell right away, like today’s market. We narrowed down to 4 spec houses for 6 weeks, that were still on the market when we bought

Yes. Friends of ours bought a spec home in Charlotte (off Hillborough)
with a pool...