Lucaya: island atmosphere in the city

COURTESY PHOTO Lucaya clubhouse. Lucaya in south Fort Myers has a different developer's name behind the project, but the product in the gated community hasn't changed.

Signs fronted by fountains at the entrance along McGregor Boulevard lead to a quiet community that was a Taylor Woodrow project when releases for the first of two construction phases started in 2005. The development of garden, carriage and coach homes is now a Taylor Morrison property after Taylor Woodrow and Morrison Homes merged.

Bradenton-based Taylor Morrison has communities in California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Colorado and Florida. With six divisions of operation in Florida, it is part of developments in Lee, Charlotte and Collier counties, particularly where Taylor Woodrow and Morrison Homes have been preferred builders.

Lucaya is one of two Taylor Morrison projects in south Fort Myers, according to the company Web site. The community of more than 100 acres will have 362 units upon completion, said Amy Bessert, sales and marketing coordinator. As of early March, she said that 202 units had been built, and 20 more were to be built this year. Phase one called for 106 carriage homes and 96 garden homes to be built.

Lucaya's free form pool with view of the front lake. COURTESY PHOTO Closings started in September 2006, she said, and 165 units have closed.

Promoted as a community with an island atmosphere, Lucaya has attracted buyers from throughout the country, especially the Northeast and Midwest. Still others hail from Canada, some from elsewhere in Southwest Florida.

A clubhouse of 4,700 square feet is located near the entrance, between the Sonsette and Graycliff neighborhoods. It has a fitness center of weight training and exercise equipment and a multi-purpose room. To the rear are a spa and free form pool that have a view of the front lake. The area has tiki huts and lounge chairs on sand.

Residents who aren't exercising in the fitness center and pool can bicycle and walk through the back of the development, where a road and lake are in place for future growth.

The Sonsette neighborhood features 11 two-story buildings of eight and twelve homes, many with park views. Three buildings overlook the front lake.

COURTESY PHOTO Lucaya Exterior. The Stonington is the lowest priced residence in Lucaya, starting at $159,900, although inventory lists models with a park view as high as $192,390. With 1,616 square feet under air, the middle unit on the first or second floor has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, den and carport. A Stonington model is on site.

Farthest from the entrance is a row of carriage homes in the Hamilton neighborhood, which has 14 buildings of four and six units. Seven buildings have a lake view. Among the larger of the four floor plans is the upstairs middle unit, the St. George, which starts at $224,900. It has 2,275 square feet under air, including three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a den. A St. George model is also on site.

The Graycliff neighborhood has eight coach buildings of four units. Two buildings overlook the fountain in the lake. An upstairs Southampton design offers 2,587 square feet under air, with three bedrooms and two and one-half bathrooms. The model starts at $279,900, although inventory has a home with a preserve view listed at $344,655. The Graycliff two-car garages are side-by-side facing those in the adjacent building, not the street.