Homebuilder relocates to Waterside Place

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Yet another tenant is making its way to the 36-acre Waterside Place development in Lakewood Ranch, but this time in the form of a homebuilder. 

M/I Homes has joined what is being coined as Sarasota’s first village to better serve the Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte County areas. The homebuilder is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. 

“We’re pleased to welcome M/I Homes to Waterside Place,” says Laura Cole, senior VP of LWR Communities LLC in the release. “They have been a terrific builder in Lakewood Ranch, and we look forward to their ability to service customers from our dynamic new town center, just steps away from one of their newest neighborhoods, Nautique.”

The new office is set to open this month. It’s located minutes from three new communities that are expected to open this year: Sweetwater at Lakewood Ranch, Sweetwater Villas at Lakewood Ranch and Natique at Waterside Place. 

The office will feature a 1,563-square-foot design center for homeowners to work with interior designers on their new construction homes. It will be located at 1551 Lakefront Drive. M/I Homes has 11 communities in its portfolio that span from Parrish to Port Charlotte. 

“As Lakewood Ranch continues to be the No. 1 selling multi-generational master-planned community in America, we’re thrilled to move into the epicenter of momentum and development in the area,” says Joe Fontana, area president, in a release. “Waterside Place is the best that Lakewood Ranch has to offer with dining, entertainment, shopping, and community events. Our team is excited for this new adventure and eager to welcome homebuyers to our new space as they start their journey into building their own beautiful M/I home.”

M/I Homes joins the growing list of tenants announced within the village, including: 

• Good Liquid Brewing Co. 
• 3 Form Fitness 
• ManCave for Men 
• O&A Coffee Supply
• CROP Juice 
• Duck Donuts 
• Korê 
• PAINT Nail Bar 
• SmithLaw 
• The Yoga Shack 
• Kilwins
• Agave Bandido 

The Waterside Place community features 115,000 square feet of in-line and freestanding commercial, retail and office space, dining options, eight-acre island park, nature trails, communal “pop-up” spaces, and a water splash park. 

The village is expected to have more than 5,000 for sale and rental homes that range from $280,000 to more than $2 million.