Page 76 - FDI Alliance International Magazine, July 2019 Interactive Issue_Neat

TURNING RURAL LAND INTO AN OASIS

PAUL WILLIES
For more information on the Epperson community go to
www.epperson.metroplaces.com.
Paul Willies is a commercial real estate appraiser based in Tampa, FL he can be reached at
paul@appraisaldevelopment.com.
Wesley Chapel, FL - The need for a competitive a monthly use fee for the lagoon itself – currently entire Connected City corridor will have around
edge for new communities in Florida has the project is more than 60% sold-out. 37,000 homes and over 12 million square feet
reached a new high with the completion of the In addition to the lagoon, the community is also of commercial space, including office, retail,
first man-made lagoon in the United States – part of the County of Pasco’s newly designated and state-of-the-art education, medical and
located in Wesley Chapel in Pasco County, 30 Connected City – the first and only Smart Gigabit technology facilities. The plan for the Connected
minutes north of downtown Tampa on the west community in the nation built from the ground City spans 50 years.
coast of Florida. up on a framework of the fastest internet and
WIFI speeds available. At 1 gigabit of speed THE PLAN
Epperson Lagoon - an impressive 7-acre throughout the community ULTFAFi offers its Epperson Ranch is a 3,000 home mixed-use
16-million-gallon swimming pool with crystal residents virtually no buffering delays watching, master planned neighborhood being built
clear water was unveiled earlier last year to gaming, surfing and streaming by the pool, on on what was 1,500 acres of agricultural and
much fan-fare – catapulting this 1,500-acre the trails, at the playground or in their home. woodlands being developed by a consortium
rural farm-land to the forefront of sought-after This technology also offers smart controlled of builders around the centerpiece Epperson
residential communities in the Tampa Bay area. features that allow homeowners to customize Crystal Lagoon – owned and built by Metro
On agricultural land that sold for $30,000 settings from the same room or their smart Development Group - a Tampa based company
an acre 10 years ago – is now closing 20-50 device, including dimming lights, changing founded in 2003 - under the title Metro Lagoons,
homes a month on 6,000-12,000 sf lots from temperature and setting security. by Crystal Lagoons – the licensed technology
$240,000 to $400,000+ a piece – and that’s Upon completion, Epperson – and near by behind the crystal clear water.
before the home owner’s association fees and Mirada will have around 8,000 homes. The

76 FDI ALLIANCE | JULY ISSUE 2019