West Manatee’s new residential development draws heavy inspiration from at least two different residential developments of the Orlando real estate community – the Avalon Park and the Baldwin Park residential communities. The Crossroads development has been projected to stretch over 1,322 acres in its first phase of development, on the property of Manatee Fruit Farm in West Manatee.
Developer Whiting Preston Leaves No Stone Unturned
The development of the Crossroads residential community is being undertaken by Whiting Preston. To ensure that the West Bradenton community gets enough press even before residential leasing begins it is being pitched as a “hybrid” of Baldwin Park and Avalon Park.
Further, Whiting Preston is known to have hired the designers of Avalon Park for the first phase of development. The Crossroads development will thus sport a design code drafted by Cannin Associates, the urban planning consultants responsible for Avalon Park.
Manatee’s Crossroads development vs Orlando’s Baldwin Park and Avalon Park
Now, a “hybrid” community essentially means one that incorporates the best features of both Baldwin and Avalon, and Whiting Preston is leaving no stone unturned to achieve the same. At the outset, the three communities share a few similarities. They stretch over 1,000 acres and contain between 3,600 and 6,500 residential units.
The hybridization however begins on the streets. The streets of Crossroads will sport the hub-and-spoke distribution paradigm that Avalon Park is celebrated for with the traditional grid distribution that is characteristic of Baldwin Park.
Traffic has been a big problem for the residents of Avalon Park. Primarily because the six villages comprising the community are joined using a network of arterial roads in the hub-and-spoke model that has proven to be less than ideal during the rush hours. Whiting Preston may have to modify the hub-and-spoke model if it wants to prevent traffic problems at Crossroads.
Pricing at Avalon and Baldwin
According to the top Orlando realtors who have dealt with Baldwin Park, the community sells its cheapest condos for around $250,000. The traditional nuclear-family homes easily fetch over $1 million and leased-out apartments, though prevalent, start only in the higher-end range of $1,300.
In Orlando, Avalon Park typically turns out to be more affordable, when compared to Baldwin Park. Orlando real estate agents reveal that condos at Avalon Park sell for well under $200,000. Further, rental apartments are cheaper and attract many students from the neighboring colleges.
