VENICE, Fla. – Where to Retire has named Grand Palm, its popular master-planned Venice community by Neal Communities, one of the top 50 best master-planned communities in the U.S.
Grand Palm was one of the nine communities listed for Florida, which are located in Bradenton, Citrus Hills, Harmony, Leesburg, Naples, Ocala, Venice and Wimauma, in “The Short List: 50 Best Master-Planned Communities in the United States.”
The list focuses on only one-of-a-kind communities rather than locales and features first-person testimonials by current residents. The selected 50 best master-planned communities showcase the variety of housing options and amenities that enrich the lives of relocating retirees.
“At Grand Palm, living here is truly grand,” said Pat Neal, CEO of Neal Communities. “From the very beginning, Grand Palm was positioned around the natural Florida environment, and we intertwined nature throughout the community. It’s a gorgeous, walkable community with lots of preservation, trees and a neo-traditional design. It’s unique and different than other places. It’s what I call a habitat for humanity – a place where people can live, breath and have fun.”
Grand Palm is the largest neighborhood Neal Communities has created in its more than 40 years of building, with plans for 1,999 homes at completion. Month after month, the fast-selling Grand Palm has continued to lead sales for the builder. The community opened in September 2012 and was the first ever to be built under the stringent requirements of Sarasota County’s 2050 plan – a plan intended to guide development while preserving Florida’s natural landscape.
Grand Palm’s layout preserves more than 33 percent of the land as open space and features spectacular preserved trees from the grand entrance, continuing throughout the community. Residents have miles of walking and bike trails that weave through the community and into a private wooded island surrounded by Adventure Lake.
Where to Retire, now celebrating 25 years in print, is published six times a year. The magazine covers the best retirement regions, towns and master-planned communities.
About Neal Communities
With over 40 years of building award-winning homes, Neal Communities has over 70 successful communities throughout southwest Florida. The Lakewood Ranch-based builder was named the Professional Builder 2015 “Builder of the Year” and was named one of 2012’s “America’s Best Builders” by BUILDER Magazine and voted the “2013 Best Residential Builder in Southwest Florida” in a readers’ poll sponsored by Gulfshore Business Magazine. The company is ranked No. 1 locally by Metrostudy and by Hanley Wood Market Intelligence based on number of home sales and ranked nationally among the top 50 builders by BUILDER Magazine.
To date, Neal has built over 12,000 homes in southwest Florida. As the area’s largest and most established, locally owned and operated private builder, Neal Communities is continually striving for excellence in every aspect of the home building and development business. Neal Signature Homes, Neal Land Ventures, Charlene Neal PureStyle, Waterscapes Pools & Spas, Neal Communities Funding, Fiducia Insurance and Allegiant Title Professionals all contribute to the firm’s continued, record-setting local success. The company’s honors and accolades include 44 Parade of Homes awards, 50 Aurora Awards, 5 Best in American Living Awards and hundreds of local and regional industry awards. For more information, please visit www.NealCommunities.com.