Little did Maryse Desir and her daughter Mitsha Woodson know the significance of the moment they signed a contract for a new home in Westlake. They had become the 2,000th family to purchase a property in the well-known master-planned community in Palm Beach County’s latest city, Westlake.
“I have had my eye on this area since the early 2000s, and when I was introduced to Westlake by some friends after the pandemic, I fell in love instantly,” Desir says. “I was totally delighted with the homes and lifestyle and knew I had to be here. I could see myself retiring in Westlake.”
The family took advantage of Minto’s “Welcome Heroes” program that provides public servants with a 3% discount on the base price of a new home and acquired the four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath Sycamore Grand floorplan in The Pines, Westlake’s newest neighborhood. They intend to keep their jobs and commute to their schools in Broward County after relocating, which is expected to happen sometime in 2024.
“You can’t find anything like Westlake in Broward County,” Woodson says. “With affordably priced new home construction and tons of amazing amenities for families to enjoy, it will be worth the drive.”
Since October 2017, Minto has developed eight residential neighborhoods with single-family homes, estate homes, and townhomes. Currently, the starting prices of these properties are in the $400s.
In 2023, Minto completed the construction of a $22 million amenities complex called the Westlake Adventure Park. This park boasts a resort-style lagoon pool with a tower slide, splash pad, and poolside concessions. The park has a separate adult lap pool, a multipurpose building with an adjoining event lawn, a covered concert pavilion, a food truck court, and picnic areas. The park also features a BMX pump park, bocce ball courts, playground, dog park, and full-length, lighted basketball courts.
Westlake has been approved for the construction of 4,500 homes and 2.2 million square feet of commercial development, which is currently experiencing a boom. In the summer, a new Publix grocery store and accompanying retail bays were opened, and two retail centers are scheduled to open in 2024, bringing more restaurants and retail stores to the area. Over the last six years, a free-standing emergency room, a Palm Beach County tax collector’s office, a county fire station, two 7-Eleven convenience stores, and Christ Fellowship Church were constructed. A personal storage facility and warehouse with flex office space are currently under construction.
“As we celebrate our 2,000th home sale in Westlake, it’s hard not to reflect and see how far we have come since our first home was sold six years ago,” Mike Belmont says, president of Minto Communities USA. “The vision is coming together, and it’s happening at a pace quicker than we had expected. I think that is because we offer the best value in new home construction and a lifestyle that no one else is offering in Palm Beach County.”
Westlake has been ranked among the Top 50 Master-Planned Communities in the United States by John Burns Real Estate Consulting for several years. In 2022, it was placed at the 21st position on the list. Additionally, Westlake has led all the other Palm Beach County municipalities for new single-family home permits for the past few years.
Westlake is located at 16610 Town Center Parkway North in the City of Westlake, on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road between Southern Blvd. and Northlake Blvd. For more information on the community, call 888-299-3628 or visit WestlakeFL.com.
Cutline: Aerial photo of the community of Westlake
