Author: SparkDev
Sarasota makes top 10 list of best places to live in U.S.
For its desirability, quality of life and cost of living, Sarasota was named one of the best places to live in the country by U.S. News & World Report.
The annual rankings, released this week by the media company, put Sarasota at No. 9 on a list of the 150 best places to live in the country, making it the only Florida city to land in the top 10.
U.S. News & World Report describes Sarasota as having “a distinct vibe that’s different from Florida’s relative coastal cities, with its own vibrant arts scene, beachy atmosphere, and burgeoning food culture.”
“This metro area of just over 800,000 people has a renowned opera house, a number of rooftop bars and the popular beach of Siesta Key,” the magazine wrote. “What makes the region special is its duality – downtown Sarasota boasts resorts and fine dining, but strolling Siesta Key Village or St. Armands Circle offers a more intimate, seaside ambience.”
The rankings are determined based on several factors developed by the media company – quality of life; job market; desirability, which asks if people want to move to a place; net migration, which determines if people are actually already moving somewhere and value, which includes cost of living.
Home affordability and quality of life were also more important than ever this year in the rankings because of the voracity of the national housing market, according to U.S. News.
That did have some impact on the ratings overall, moving Huntsville, Alabama, from No. 3 to No. 1 on the list, despite it having a lower desirability ranking on the lower side of the 150 places ranked.
Despite Sarasota’s skyrocketing housing costs, it stayed in the same spot – ninth place – as last year.
Other Florida cities on the list included Naples (No. 12), Melbourne (No. 20), Jacksonville (No. 24), Tampa (No. 39), Pensacola (No. 44), Daytona Beach (No. 68), Port St. Lucie (No. 78), Ocala (No. 91), Fort Myers (No. 100), Tallahassee (No. 110), Lakeland (No. 113), Orlando (No. 118) and Miami (No. 137).
Just last month, Sarasota was also ranked by the magazine as the No. 1 place to retire in the U.S. for the second year in a row. It’s also the third fastest-growing place in the country, according to the magazine.
Laura Finaldi
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Around the Ranch – April 2022
Around the Ranch – March 2022
New Pilates Bar to Open at Waterside
Lakewood Ranch Announces New Waterside Place Tenants Opening This Year
Shore Rejuvenation Day Spa, Modish Salon, Marmalade Waterside Boutique, John Cannon Homes and more join growing roster of businesses
Lakewood Ranch, the nation’s best-selling master-planned community for all ages, has announced numerous new tenants for its 36-acre retail, dining and entertainment destination, Waterside Place.
Shore Rejuvenation Day Spa and Modish Salon will offer Waterside Place visitors the opportunity to relax and feel refreshed with luxury spa treatments and on-trend hairstyles.
Shore Rejuvenation Day Spa strives to treat guests’ minds, bodies, and spirits through a wide range of spa options, including luxury organic couples’ treatments, spa packages, massage therapy, facials and results driven skin care treatments such as microblading, lip blushing, permanent makeup, injectables such as Botox Cosmetic, Restylane and Juvéderm. Services are performed by knowledgeable, highly trained staff who use the finest cosmeceutical skin care from Environ, as well as organic luxury skin and body care from VOYA.
Modish Salon is a creative space where independent hair stylists unite over their passions for hair cutting, coloring, extensions and styling. Modish stylists are known for fine-tuning their skills by traveling to top conventions and classes and returning with the latest trends in hair care. Since opening in early 2020 in Sarasota, the salon has been recognized as the “#1 salon for invisible bead extensions” world-wide. Waterside Place will be their second location.
Set to open this summer, Marmalade Waterside Boutique, John Cannon Homes, Integrity Sound, and Capstan Financial will add to the area’s diverse offerings:
Marmalade Waterside Boutique will offer residents and visitors a space where beauty and fashion mix with laughter, inspiration, and imagination to promote a happy lifestyle. Marmalade’s new boutique at Waterside Place is the third – and largest – location, following its flagship storefront in Sarasota and beachside location on Siesta Key. The boutique will feature a curated lifestyle collection of cool home decor and furnishings, free-spirited women’s apparel, bohemian bling, and unique gifts.
With more than 350 industry honors for homes built in over 100 prestigious communities, John Cannon Homes has set the standard for quality in luxury custom home building in Southwest Florida. In anticipation of the Kingfisher Estates opening at Lakewood Ranch, John Cannon Homes will be displaying room vignettes with custom high-end finishes in its retail space at Waterside Place. The transitional-style room designs will showcase cabinetry, countertops, ceiling details, flooring, tile and fireplace options for kitchen, living room, dining room, office, master bathroom and outdoor kitchen (cabana/bar) spaces.
Integrity Sound offers expert technology and electrical solutions for homes and businesses in Southwest Florida and beyond. The company specializes in electrical, home automation, audio video, networks, lighting, motorized window treatment and security integration, priding itself on seeing projects through to completion and providing long term service and support. The 1,550 square-foot store will feature a unique design concept featuring realistic home and office settings.
Capstan Financial was founded to provide comprehensive financial services and the highest degree of personal attention to individual and institutional clients. The firm uses a team-focused approach to ensure professional guidance, preparation and responsiveness through all stages of life, regardless of market conditions. The company’s new, 3,500 square-foot location at Waterside Place will be its first satellite office expansion, featuring plenty of natural light, lake views, two outdoor covered balconies, and fully functional technology to host world-class meetings.
Additional tenants set to open in Waterside Place by the end of the year include O&A Coffee Supply, CROP Juice, The Yoga Shack, Body Bar Pilates, Man Cave for Men, Bay Area Aesthetics, Duck Donuts, authentic Italian restaurant Osteria 500, Mexican-American restaurant and tequileria Agave Bandido, and Korê, a new Asian restaurant concept featuring Korean barbeque and an upscale cocktail lounge.
Later this year, Forked at Waterside and Good Liquid Distillery are also expected to open locations.
Recently named the “Best Lifestyle Program in the U.S.” by the National Association of Homebuilders, the vibrant lifestyle and suburban location at Waterside Place is an ideal location for many brands.
“We’re thrilled Waterside Place is officially open and visitors can finally experience our curated, eclectic mix of tenants,” said Kirk Boylston, president of Lakewood Ranch Commercial. “The businesses, restaurants and retail shops we’ve brought to the area are among the best and will provide plenty of opportunities for entertainment, relaxation, home improvement and more.”
As it continues to welcome additional businesses, Waterside Place will embody the essence of Lakewood Ranch, serving as a retail, dining, wellness and entertainment hub with waterfront charm. Whether guests are looking to enjoy a morning coffee and jog along the nature trails or opt for an evening “Ranch Nite Wednesday” lakeside concert followed by dinner and craft beers with friends, Waterside Place will appeal to a variety of lifestyles and interests.
The town center is already activated with festivals, music, and sporting activities, and is home to the Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch, further connecting local farmers and artisans with area residents and their guests. Additionally, Lakewood Ranch is working with Waterside Place tenants to create custom programming tailored to their consumers.
Founded in 1994, Lakewood Ranch spans over 20 villages and is consistently rated as one of the best-selling master-planned communities in the country by both RCLCO and John Burns Real Estate Consulting, two independent real estate consulting firms. In July of 2021, Lakewood Ranch was named the best-selling, master-planned community in the country according to RCLCO’s mid-year rankings. In January, both firms designated Lakewood Ranch as the best-selling master-planned community in the U.S. for the second year in a row.
For more information about Waterside Place, visit the recently improved and expanded website, www.WatersidePlace.com. For more information on Lakewood Ranch, please contact Lisa Barnott at 941-757-1542.
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About Waterside Place
Waterside Place serves as the heart of Waterside – Lakewood Ranch’s first Sarasota village – and offers an elevated community experience that extends beyond that of a traditional town center. Situated on a 36-acre peninsula overlooking the mile-long Kingfisher Lake, the development will blend arts and entertainment destinations with 115,000 square feet of unique in-line and freestanding commercial, retail and office space; diverse dining options; an eight-acre park; miles of nature trails; communal “pop-up” spaces, a water splash park, and more.
Waterside will feature more than 5,000 for-sale and rental homes in a variety of neighborhoods ranging from $280k to over $2M. All neighborhoods are connected to Waterside Place via trails and many homes will benefit from a future water taxi to the town center. To date, more than a thousand homes have been sold or leased in Waterside’s Shoreview, Lakehouse Cove, The Adley, Botanic, and Grande Living neighborhoods.
About Lakewood Ranch
Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 55,000 residents and features A-rated schools, the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than 5.7 million square feet of commercial property. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.
Around the Ranch – February 2022
Around the Ranch – December 2021
LWR Life – Spring 2022
RANCH RECEIVES NATIONAL GOLD AWARD FOR LIFESTYLE
RANCH RECEIVES NATIONAL GOLD AWARD FOR LIFESTYLE
Lakewood Ranch was recognized with a gold award for best lifestyle program by the National Association of Home Builders’ National Sales and Marketing Council at its recent annual 2022 awards ceremony.
Lakewood Ranch’s Waterside Place was awarded the top honor for community lifestyle program of the year. Waterside Place is home to the popular Lakewood Ranch Farmers’ Market, which draws more than 5,000 visitors each week, and Ranch Nite Wednesdays, which hosts a food truck rally and the largest amateur cornhole league in the state, as well as a night market on the second Wednesday of each month. The lakeside town center has quickly become a beloved destination for the community since opening at the end of 2021.
The Waterside Place program is part of Lakewood Ranch’s overall emphasis on lifestyle, which includes two other town centers, a sports campus, nine community parks, 150 miles of sidewalks and trails, more than 60 clubs, and a parks and recreation program. Activities include both virtual and in-person options, and range in age from toddlers to Boomers. There are also annual festivals and celebrations like the Irish Celtic Fest, Tribute to Heroes Parade, Boo Fest, and Holidays Around the Ranch.
“Lifestyle is one of the primary drivers when prospective buyers are choosing where to live,” said Laura Cole, senior vice president of LWR Communities. “People select the community first, then the home. There has been a growing emphasis on creating and nurturing a multi-faceted lifestyle experience within Lakewood Ranch, including markets, sports leagues, holiday celebrations, clubs, and classes. This focus is a prime contributor to the fact that Lakewood Ranch was named the best-selling master-planned community for all ages in the country for 2021.”
The awards, known as “The Nationals,” honor the best in the building industry for “their determination, integrity, creativity and resilience.” Started in 1982 as the Institute of Residential Marketing Awards, The Nationals recognizes honorees across various disciplines of the new home industry by individuals and sales teams. During a four-day judging process, a panel of 13 industry professionals from across the country determined the award winners from a field of over 1200 entries.
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About Lakewood Ranch
Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 55,000 residents and features A-rated schools, the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, three town centers that include theaters, shopping and dining, and more than 5.5 million square feet of commercial property. For more information, visit lakewoodranch.com.
About Waterside Place
Located in the village of Waterside, Waterside Place is Lakewood Ranch’s newest town center, and the only waterfront retail and lifestyle destination in Sarasota. Waterside Place features a curated mix of food and drink, beauty and wellness, and arts and entertainment on the water’s edge of Kingfisher Lake. For more information on businesses and events visit watersideplace.com.
