Have they ever built anything?
 

Take a look at the WholeLife Development website wholelife-companies
There is no evidence that they have ever built anything.

Planned Development across from Pinellas
 

Also, their business model premise is Baby Boomers have lived to see their largest asset lose much of its peak value. That may have been true 4 years ago, certainly not true today. I also think most intelligent people realize that when the government intervenes monetarily to help out a certain class of individuals things such as the Great Recession and housing crash will occur. The housing crash was an anomaly. Owning has always and will always be better then then renting. If this development gets ground footing they will not get what they think they'll get for rents.

Try their media page http://media.wix.com/ugd/0df201_e70f...1feb378c3e.pdf

First starts.
 

The villages developed from someones ideas. Did he have previous projects? I like the wellness concept of wholesome community living.

I agree they don't have a right to the MMPs. But, the roads, except for courtyard villa neighborhoods, are public. Anyone can access virtually any village in TV. So once a golf cart gets onto Pinellas Pl, it looks like it will be able to access virtually all of TV MMPs.

According to the media page on his website, there are previous projects in existence. If you believe the pictures, they are quite nice looking.

I question tbe decision to have seniors in a 6-story building. They will be up a creek without a paddle if there is an emergency that requires a partial or full evacuation.

Especially if wood construction is employed. Seems all the rage with too much frequency recently. Just wait when a sprinkler system fails due to a faulty sensor and inadequate fire inspections.

I looked at the site, which is nicely done. However, I'm just not sure these lovely pictures aren't conceptual. If you look further, it looks like bonds were recently floated to acquire financing. I don't know. Maybe I'm missing something.

That said, I still think all this, or most of it, is pure speculation. We haven't really heard from the horse's mouth yet, have we? Did the online paper credit it's source? As I said, I could have missed something.

Why did Wildwood turn down The Villages for 800 homes but don't seem to have a problem with this plan which is much worse?

My husband is of the same opinion. He'll believe it when the shovels show up.

I think this development will provide a measure of competition for TV. Competition is a good thing for the consumers ( us ). Bring it on.

Take a tour of Wildwood and you'll see its planning history.

I guess you will be disappointed with the TV hospital, Freedom Point, or the hundreds of high rise condos retirees live in.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$Duh!

3 year lease
 

You make a very good point. The proposal is for three year leases. There will be very few snowbirds in this complex.

"Worse " is a matter of perspective. In this case Wildwood would reap far more in taxes into perpetuity. Follow the$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Would you have that same sentiment if it was in your backyard?

I imagine the previous owners(farmers, ranchers?) of that land had the same sentiment when TV developed right up to their property. Anyone who buys a house in TV bordering on privately owned property should realize anything may be built right up to their property line.

Your Duh! and my Huh?

I think what they said at the time was that they were looking for a more mixed-use kind of development, and TV wanted to circumvent some of their ordinances, such as not being golf-cart friendly to the community and not wanting to follow the tree-removal policy. If you do a search on the forum for "Wildwood Mayor," you'll come up with a couple of threads on it.

BTW, in those threads some are suggesting that it had something to do with the mayor not being elected again. Actually, the mayor never intended to run again, so that was not the issue.

Perhaps they felt they would get more taxes from mixed use.

I'll just continue to scratch my head and wonder about the decision making.

We looked at a house that backed up to that property. Our sales agent was very forthright about the fact that development could occur and we could be looking at a parking lot, although the line of live oaks along the property line behind the house would probably be kept. I think anyone moving into that area would have to be very dense not to realize there could be development in their backyard.

One must be careful what they wish for. Residents that backed up to that property didn't want golf carts going down their street. Sounds like they probably won't have golf carts going through their area of TV.

Of course, we have a pretty good idea of TV Developer's quality of projects . We will just have to "wait and see" about the overall quality of this project and if it's finished in a timely manner etc. etc.

I recall tree removal being one of the objections as well. However, when you look at the land, there really aren't many trees there. Red herring, maybe?

No different than evac a six-story hospital. People are trained to do that. Once you get past 20 stories though it becomes a little more difficult and less fun.

We looked at a cottage home there also; our realtor said there was going to be development there but didn't know what. We talked to a neighbor next to the home and he claimed to be "in the know" because he would go to all of Wildwoods meetings; said the buffer zone was going to be about 75'; sure doesn't appear to be that looking at the plans. So glad we found elsewhere.

Actually there will be no snowbirds, since the "apartments" will be Assisted Living Units which command high rents.

There will be NO Golf Cart access to Villages land! & 70ft in total from rear fence line of Villages properties to fence line of new properties, with trees & shrub screen. Even if this gets through all the planning stages the Developer has stated it will be "many years" before anything is built!

That land is not Village property, comes under Wildwood, but privately owned.

Just wondering what "Developer" said this? I heard they have two years to build or the deal is off. FWIW, I've seen surveyors on the property. We know sub parcels have been defined. IMO building something (?) is imminent.

No OFFICIAL golf cart access. It looks like all one has to do is access the store parking lot across the street, and total MMP access is gained via Pinellas Pl.

But how would a GC get across to Pinellas Plaza? They'd need to have a tunnel, right?

Justjim was referring to the 400 "bungalows" (i.e., villa-size lots) with "picket fences" (i.e., no privacy) that they expect to rent for $3000-$4000/month on year-round 3-year leases. This shows me that WholeLife has not done its homework. Why would anyone want to rent one of these when they can rent a premier home in the villages on a long-term lease for $2500, with all villages amenities? Or a bungalow villa with a water view for $2000? Or an ordinary villa on a long term lease for $1000-$1500 (all with Villages amenities)?

WholeLife is based in Texas and seems to be using suburban Dallas to set their rent expectations and their 6-story apartment building concept. They are dreaming.

I remember that Wildwood and/or Sumter County made an agreement, (with some concessions), to allow the public building that houses the DMV and Library to be built where it is, to allow golf cart access to The Villages. It would not be a stretch to think, if it is in their domain, that Wildwood could allow a golf cart street crossing on 466A, to allow access to this building and Pinellas Plaza. It is speculation at this point.

Spruce Creek South subdivision residents drive their golf carts across US 441/27 in order to access Walmart, strip Malls and Lowes (I have seen them) located on the east side of the highway. There is no tunnel there---a signal light.

So driving a golf cart across 466A is not out of the question. There is precedent for this and once across 466A, you could drive your cart anywhere in The Villages.

I won't buy green bananas , less a 3 year lease !!!!!!🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴😎😎😎😎😎
Can't see the success of such a development !!

I would hope the Villages developer and the VCDD would do all they can to stop golf cart access from the new development mentioned into the Villages. But, I think to worry now is premature. The plans I have seen so far seem quite grandiose.

Once the developer gets the numbers right they'll move on. Hopefully low income high rise housing won't take it's place, then I move on.

Good point.