DeBartolo Opens Phase I of $40M Luxury Community

By Jessica Fiur, News Editor

Windermere, Fla.—DeBartolo Development LLC recently announced the opening of The Retreat at Windermere, a multifamily community in Windermere, Fla., that is the first phase of vertical construction for Summerport Village, a 196-acre mixed-use development. The Retreat at Windermere is located near Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, as well as golf courses, schools and retail.

“When we acquired Summerport Village, it had been a distressed land deal, originally planned for a Village Center development that included retail, office, condominiums and town homes,” Edward Kobel, president and chief operating offices, DeBartolo Development, tells MHN. “It stalled several years ago because of the downturn in the real estate market and stressed economy. We bought the land with the infrastructure in place in May of 2011. We began construction in August of 2012 and our first residents moved in at the beginning of July. The Retreat at Windermere is one of three new projects in the submarket, and has drawn significant attention over the last couple of years, because of its ideal location near Disney and continuous growth in the submarket.”

The Retreat at Windermere is a $40 million Class A community with 332 units, which will be built in two phases. Phase I will be completed at the end of the summer and includes 186 units in eight buildings, as well as a clubhouse. Phase II will break ground after the first phase is completed and will include 148 units in five buildings, and eight live-work apartments.

The units will include one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans, which will range in size from 650 to 1,400 square feet. The apartments will include 9-foot ceilings, ceiling fans, full-sized washers and dryers and soaker tubs.

Amenities will include a pool, patio bar and pool-side gas grills; Kids’ Zone; Bark Park; lounge with flat-screen TVs, video games, pool table and tabletop shuffleboard; business center; storage units; and private garages.

“The Retreat at Windermere is more than just an apartment complex, it is a community built upon our passion to create homes,” Kobel says. “The project was thoughtfully designed to include amenities that cater to the residents and homes that include two color palettes, wireless audio and modern finishes.”