The FishHawk Ranch community is owned in a joint venture partnership between North America Sekisui House, LLC (NASH) the US business unit and full subsidiary of Sekisui House, Ltd, Japan’s largest homebuilder and leading diversified developer, and Newland Real Estate Group, LLC, whose development business, Newland Communities, is the master developer of the community. It is one of 30 assets the NASH-Newland partnership owns or manages together, in 11 states across the US.

The Starling Club has already proved to be popular among residents, with hundreds of people visiting the club during the grand opening celebration.

“Close-knit communities are anchored on gathering spaces like the Starling Club,” said Pam Parisi, marketing director for Newland Communities. “The level of participation in the club’s design and programming shows just how passionate our residents really are about the community they live in.”

The amenity’s standout feature is its two pools—one heated for either relaxing or swimming laps, and another that houses a splash zone, a fountain and play structure to keep the kids entertained.

Inside the Starling Club are a lounge with card tables, comfortable seating, a television, and a game room and screened patio which include ping pong tables, air hockey, foosball, pool tables, darts and plenty of board games. A separate building houses a cardio room, complete with treadmills, ellipticals, rowing machines, free weights, stretching areas and a playroom for kids to watch TV while parents work out.

Along the club’s perimeter sits a playground and open field, ideal for events, concerts or community gatherings. Canine lovers will also find a dog park, with separate fenced areas for small and large dogs, exclusive to FishHawk Ranch residents.

“Newland truly considered every family member—from grandparents and children down to our dogs—when designing the clubhouse,” said Keri Rehm, a FishHawk Ranch resident. “The Starling Club was our golden ticket for bringing everyone together.”

The Starling Club began its conceptual phase in August 2011 when residents were surveyed about features they wanted to see included in the amenity. The project broke ground in Spring 2012, and construction was completed in October

For more information about the Starling Club, FishHawk Ranch and its other amenities, go to www.FishHawkRanch.com.

Sabal Homes received Silver honors for Best Architectural Design of a Single Family Home over 4,000 SF for their Tradewinds 4 model in Chapman Crossing at FishHawk Ranch. For over 25 years, Sabal Homes has relied on Southern California architects Bassenian/Lagoni to provide them with a unique style of architecture that stands out in the Florida market. "We are honored to receive this national recognition. Our distinctive designs and strong market appeal are hallmarks in the region. The Tradewinds 4 in particular provides a rare combination of elegance and functionality. It has an abundance of storage space and the corner-less sliding glass doors create a strong relationship between the indoor and outdoor living spaces," said Bill Lee, president of Sabal Homes. "In 2006, our MiraBay Tradewinds model received the National Gold Award and was featured on the cover of Professional Builder Magazine. That’s quite an achievement for a local family-owned homebuilding company."

"The Nationals are the most prestigious awards of their kind, setting the benchmark for innovations in new home design, marketing and sales," said Dorothy Tayloe, chairperson of the Nationals. "The focus on this year’s Nationals

You can visit Sabal’s Tradewinds 4 model in Chapman Crossing at FishHawk Ranch at 16308 Palmettoglen Court in Lithia. This home will also be featured in the 2013 Tampa Bay Parade of Homes March 3

Thousands of residents and concert-goers contributed more than 1,600 pounds of non-perishable food and nearly $700 to Feeding America Tampa Bay during FishHawk Ranch's Concerts for a Cause during the past two months.

The donations are equivalent to nearly 2.25 tons of food and total more than 3,600 meals.

"This level of generosity surpassed our goal and last year's total by more than a ton," said Pam Parisi, director of marketing for Newland Communities. "This is the type of kindness and collaboration that we strive for in our communities."

Newland Communities, developer of FishHawk Ranch, staged the eight concerts and asked for a voluntary non perishable donation in lieu of an admission fee.

"The food gathered by FishHawk Ranch residents will help keep our food banks supplied with shelf-stable food and feed thousands of people across Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties," said Pat Rogers, executive director for Feeding America Tampa Bay. "We're extremely grateful to have partnered with Newland Communities again this year."

The annual concert series has been a staple in FishHawk Ranch for years, attracting people from various communities with live music ranging from classic rock to Top 40 hits.

From staff reports

“This level generosity surpassed our goal and last year’s total by more than a ton,” said Pam Parisi, director of marketing for Newland Communities. “This is the type of kindness and collaboration that we strive for in our communities.”

Newland Communities, developer of FishHawk Ranch, put on the eight concerts free of charge for the public and only asked for a voluntary non-perishable donation in lieu of an admissions fee.

“The food gathered by FishHawk Ranch residents will help keep our food banks supplied with shelf-stable food and feed thousands of people across Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties,” said Pat Rogers, executive director for Feeding America Tampa Bay. “We’re extremely grateful to have partnered with Newland Communities again this year.”

The annual concert series has been a staple in FishHawk Ranch for years, attracting people from various communities with live music ranging from classic rock to Top 40 hits.

LITHIA, FLA. –Part of the Manor series of homes; the Montreaux is scheduled to open in September and will be an addition to the existing model homes here. The Biscayne, located next door remains open daily with information for all homes within the Manor series available here.

The Gasparilla, is the featured model of the Estate series of homes also available in Starling at FishHawk Ranch. Moreover, the Gasparilla was the Showcase Home during this year’s Tampa Bay Builders Association Parade of Homes. Both the Biscayne and Gasparilla have received awards for design and interior décor.

The Montreaux is offered as a 2-story home with five-bedrooms, four-baths, upstairs bonus room and 3-car tandem garage in 3,600 square feet of living area. Visitors will find the formal dining room and living room/den flanking the gracious foyer.

The foyer continues into the Homes by WestBay trademark design of open-living with its gourmet island kitchen with casual dining and an expansive Grand Room that accesses the outdoor living areas. Sliding glass doors and several windows offer an abundance of natural light to the heart of this home. The kitchen also offers direct access to the formal dining room.

The upstairs is where you will find the glorious Owner’s Retreat with exceptionally spacious walk-in closets and luxurious master bathroom. A touch of the unexpected to the Montreaux design comes from the well-appointed yet practical upstairs laundry room. In addition, 4 over-sized secondary bedrooms; 2 additional bathrooms and a 15’ 10" x 21’ 6" bonus room complete the upstairs.

Homes by WestBay’s latest model home, the Montreaux, is currently under construction at the highly sought-after community of Starling at FishHawk Ranch. visit us online at www.westbaytampa.com

At FishHawk Ranch, the Montreaux is priced from $344,990 including homesite.

Currently, WestBay builds its trademark elegantly distinctive homes throughout the Tampa-Bay area; with more communities coming soon. Homebuyers can select from the semi-custom Estate and Manor series of homes, Cottage homes and Low-Maintenance single-family villas. Homes range in size from 1,462 square feet to over 5,000 square feet and are priced from the mid-$100’s to over $700,000.00.

Model home hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and Sunday noon-6 p.m.

Homes by WestBay was founded by Tampa-Bay area home builders Roger Gatewood and Willy Nunn, who have built thousands of homes in the area.

For more information on Homes by WestBay, its residential designs and the communities where it builds, visit www.westbaytampa.com.

“We are proud of our local, top-rated schools and it is great to bring everyone together for such a good cause,” said Pam Parisi, marketing director at Newland Communities. “This race has become a staple event in the community that so many FishHawk Ranch and other local residents look forward to each year.”

More than 1,100 runners of all skill-level participated in the races including the 5K, 10K and a kids’ 1-mile fun run. Awards were given to the top male and female runners in the 5K and 10K races, as well as the top three in each age group, and all kids will receive commemorative ribbons. After the event, participants enjoyed music, giveaways, food and refreshments.

“These amenities are built for our residents, so it was essential that they were a part of this process,” said Pam Parisi, marketing director at Newland Communities. “We incorporated their suggestions into the club’s design and programming so that every aspect of the final building would be an experience designed incorporating their feedback.”

Expected to be completed by year’s end, the Starling Club will feature two pools and top-of-the-line cardio machines. Indoor activities will also include a suite of games, such as billiards, foosball and air hockey. In addition, the surrounding outdoor areas will feature an open field with a full playground and a dog park exclusively for FishHawk Ranch residents.

With a spacious lounge and an expansive back lawn, the club will also function as a venue for community events.

Sabal Homes of Florida won the top-tier “Grand Award” for its Tradewinds 4 in Chapman Crossing at FishHawk Ranch. The model was also named “Best Home in America” by the National Association of Home Builders for its spacious, efficient family living and classic high-end finishes.

Homes by WestBay took home two awards for the Gasparilla in Starling at FishHawk Ranch, and the Nantucket in the Bay Breeze neighborhood at MiraBay. Both models were praised for their luxurious kitchens and expansive floor plans.

“Newland Communities is proud to partner with Sabal Homes and Homes by WestBay to bring our residents the best homes in America,” said Rick Harcrow, senior VP of operations for Newland Communities. “This design recognition reflects our commitment to exceeding expectations for our communities.”

The 42nd annual Tampa Bay Parade of Homes was the event’s largest offering in its history, with 87 model homes included in the showcase. Each year, the Parade of Homes offers potential homebuyers a look at the latest technology and trends in the building industry across a wide variety of builders, models and communities that span Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties.

Beginning March 15, the birdhouses will be on display at the information center and will stay open for voting through the annual Spring Parade of Homes.  Residents and members of the surrounding communities will pick their favorite roosts by voting in-person or online.

“The deep connection between the community and nature is cherished in FishHawk Ranch,” said Rick Harcrow, senior vice president of operations for Newland Communities. “This is a great opportunity for our builders to work together with our residents and local children to showcase their creativity and promote appreciation for the wildlife around FishHawk Ranch.”

Although only one team will win $1000, all teams will be considered winners and will have their birdhouses on display throughout the trails in FishHawk Ranch.  The six contributing teams include FishHawk Creek Elementary School and Cardel Homes, Stowers Elementary School and Ryland Homes, Bevis Elementary School and Beazer Homes, Randall Middle School and David Weekley Homes, Newsome High School and Arthur Rutenberg Homes, and the Sports Complex Baseball Program and Ashton Woods Homes.

The 2012 Parade of Homes, sponsored by the Tampa Bay Builders Association, will be held in FishHawk Ranch starting on Saturday, March 17 through Sunday April 1. A total of 15 homes will be on display as builders showcase their homes for potential buyers.

Be sure to visit the FishHawk Ranch New Home Information Center, or go online to the FishHawk Ranch Facebook page to view the birdhouses and cast your vote.

FishHawk Ranch began development in 1997 in Tampa, Fla. One of the largest metropolitan areas in the Southeast, Tampa boasts a population of approximately 2.7 million and the kind of yearround climate and economic draws — low cost of living, no state income tax — that draw relocating homebuyers from across the country. “The Tampa market is well positioned for recovery,” says Pam Parisi, marketing director of Newland Communities. “Job growth is improving and housing prices appear to be stabilized. We are hearing regularly from new builders who are eager to launch into the Tampa market and want to do it in an ‘A location’ like a FishHawk Ranch or Waterset.”

Part of what makes FishHawk Ranch an “A location” is that Newland Communities listens closely to the demands of buyers, and buyers want sustainability over time and a community they can grow with, which is why FishHawk Ranch is the first certified green community in Hillsborough County — one of four counties that comprise the Tampa metropolitan area. Flush with green building accolades, including the 2010 NAHB “Green Development of the Year,” and the 2007 National Arbor Day Foundation’s “Nation’s Top Master Planned Community,” FishHawk Ranch is the result of Newland’s strong, cohesive green vision. The vision is shared by more than a dozen active builders and on display within the development’s more than 35 neighborhoods. “Our builders are a diverse group, including national builders, regional builders, and some who currently focus solely on FishHawk Ranch,” Parisi says. A few of the active builders include David Weekley Homes, Cardel Homes and Homes by WestBay.

In 2011, David Weekley Homes sold more homes within FishHawk Ranch than any other builder. David Weekley has constructed more than 400 homes within this master-planned maven so far, and is currently building in four sections of the development with two new sections on the way — BayBerry Glen and some more, larger home sites in FishHawk Garden District.

David Weekley Homes’ Florida area president, Steve Ebensberger, attributed the builder’s success at FishHawk Ranch to offering a range of product that ensures there’s something for everyone. Ebensberger commented, “In FishHawk, homebuyers have a wide selection of exterior finishes and floor plans available to them – one- and two-story, single-family homes with numerous bedroom and bath options, and numerous Custom Choices™.”

From rear-load garage plans with homes facing the park to create stunning streetscapes, to twostory homes that feature nostalgic and inviting front porches, to homes boasting a unique mix of exterior materials, eye-catching elevations and interiors that live large, each David Weekley Homes floor plan is carefully crafted for both maximum aesthetic effect and live ability. Showcasing David Weekley Homes’ LifeDesignSM concept, interiors are designed to look and feel grander. “For us, great design isn't measured in square feet,” Ebensberger said. “It's expressed in cubic feet and light, and the way a room feels as you enter it. A David Weekley home design is about more than square footage, it’s about creating a home that invites you in, lets you move easier through it, and has something special that you can’t quite put your finger on,” he explained.

Embracing Newland’s dedication to green building, the builder has spent years researching and crafting the building process of their EnergySaver™ Homes, which feature the Environments For Living® Gold Level Program. “One way we do that is through educating our customers and realtors about our green building techniques,” Ebensberger stated.

He continued, “In each of our model homes we have a “Behind Our Walls” Green Room that gives customers a close-up look at exactly how we build our EnergySaver Homes and what goes into making them green. We also have actual homeowner electric bills in these rooms that speak for themselves, showing the lower cost of heating and cooling our homes. Homebuyers are often able to adjust their spending plan and purchase a larger home when they realize the energy savings our homes offer.”

Cardel Homes — a family-owned and operated company since 1973 — has sold and closed more than 500 homes in the FishHawk Ranch Community. Over the past decade, the builder has completed sixteen communities and is currently about 50 percent completed with three different product lines in two separate communities. “Our approach has been to be a partner with Newland through the entire process: from the architectural review, to marketing of the community, to construction of the homes,” said Kent Hollman, regional president for Cardel Homes in Tampa. Hollman stated, “It is a complete team effort between builder and developer.”

Cardel shares Newland Communities’ focus on the value of getting to know and respecting the needs of each individual — not just home buyers, but everyone involved in the process. Hollman said, “We employ top notch staff with an average current tenure of 10 years.” He continued, “We treat all trades and suppliers as though they are part of the Cardel team. From our employees, to our designs, to our sub trades, we want everyone that touches our homes and interacts with our customers to understand that we truly care.”

As a relatively new company in Tampa, Homes by WestBay has a real love for both Tampa’s past and future, and this love is evident in it’s carefully crafted homes. “We set out to create a collection of Mediterranean, Craftsman and Classical homes that would form a harmonious streetscape similar to Tampa’s classic neighborhoods such as Hyde Park, New Suburb Beautiful, Seminole Heights, Palma Ceia, etc.,” explained Willy Nunn, president of Homes by WestBay.

Stepping inside, Homes by WestBay interiors are open and flexible and ready to be customized. “While we offer formal living areas, these can be optioned to additional bedrooms or dens,” Nunn said. “We have combined grand rooms, kitchens, dining rooms and breakfast rooms into fantastic spaces with 12- foot ceilings that create a central space for today’s family life styles. Our standard features are above what’s offered by national builders. In addition, we offer generous standard option allowances so that the customer can tailor the finishing details to their personal tastes,” Nunn stated.

The builder currently offers homes in three communities within FishHawk Ranch. “We typically have 20 homes in various stages of construction,” Nunn said. He added, “We limit our inventory under construction to two per neighborhood, or a total of six.” By keeping things small, Homes by WestBay is able to spend the time needed to do the proper research and form strong relationships. “We deliver the home and home building experience that people really want. We have outstanding realtor relationships,” Nunn said.

Green living, open floor plans, endless customization opportunities, and a focus on people over numbers — all of this continues to make FishHawk Ranch a standout development, strengthening the brands of both the developer and all the builders involved. According to a ranking by John Burns Real Estate Consulting, seven of the top 50 communities in the country were developed by Newland Communities. FishHawk Ranch was the Tampa Bay Builder’s Association’s Community of the Year two years in a row. Whenever possible, Newland Communities tries to build amenities at the start of a development so they can consult current residents on what they want/need as more are added. The more than 35 neighborhoods of FishHawk Ranch feature everything from low maintenance townhomes and villas, to traditional single-family homes, alley-loaded single-family homes, and custom homes.

“Regardless of the life stage of a Newland community, the focus is ever-present,” Parisi stated. “This enables us to build strong and sustainable community brands. For example, we recently had a family move to FishHawk Ranch from Newland’s Stonemill Farms community in Minnesota. They approached one of our team members in Minnesota and asked where Newland was building that was warm. That was their main criteria — to live in another Newland community.”

Kim Singletary is editor-at-large of Builder and Developer magazine. She may be contacted at ksingletary@penpubinc.com.

 “This certification reinforces our continued commitment to sustainable development,” said Rick Harcrow, senior vice president of operations for Newland Communities. “We are consistently encouraging builders to use energy-conserving designs and materials to create high-performance homes and amenities that can thrive in tandem with the existing environment.”

 The tennis club and community information center’s focus on conserving water and electricity was especially highlighted throughout the process. This certification specifically recognized the various green features, including water efficient appliances and energy-efficient fixtures located throughout the buildings. With the community’s landscaping considerations alone, the site was maximized with more than 75 percent of vegetated open space, and the irrigation systems in place will reduce total water consumption by nearly 60 percent.

 In addition to this water conservation, the materials used during construction were also emphasized during certification. The construction process for this tennis club and community information center was completed with 20 percent of the materials from the surrounding area, as well as 10 percent from previously recycled materials. At the completion of the new facility, 75 percent of all materials were then recycled to be used for future area projects.  

 The certification process was based on a point system, where FishHawk Ranch’s tennis club and community information center was awarded points in seven different categories, such as sustainable sites, water efficiency and energy and atmosphere. The number of points awarded in each category is what determined the facility’s Silver Certification.

 FishHawk Ranch offers several first-class tennis offerings for the community. In addition to the tennis lounge and other LEED recognized elements, the community offers five Har-Tru clay courts, including a competition court with bleacher seating.