When it comes to building new homes in Palm Beach County, the City of Westlake led the way in 2021. According to an annual report by the county’s planning department, Westlake was issued 829 single-family home permits, which far outpaced any of the 38 other municipalities. The next closest city was Palm Beach Gardens with 313 permits. Westlake represented well more than a third of all permits issued by municipalities, which totaled 2,148. The remaining permits were issued in unincorporated Palm Beach County. In total, 4,674 permits for single-family homes were pulled countywide in 2021.
“I think the data speaks for itself,” said Mike Belmont, president of Minto Communities USA, the master developer and primary homebuilder in Westlake. “The real estate market is very hot right now, and people are gravitating to the quality of homes and lifestyle that we offer at Westlake. They also want to be part of this exciting new city as it grows and evolves.”
Westlake was incorporated as Palm Beach County’s 39th municipality in June 2016. Minto started home sales about a year-and-a-half later in October 2017. Since opening, Minto has sold more than 1,242 homes in Westlake. Minto sold nearly 300 homes in 2021, while two other homebuilders sold 187 and 120 homes, for a total of 607 new home sales in Westlake for 2021.
In January 2022, Minto announced plans to introduce the first townhome neighborhood within the 3,800-acre community. Four model homes are currently under construction in the Crossings of Westlake. Sales will begin when the new models open.
Minto plans to build 130 luxury townhome residences from the newly created Bay Collection. Three distinct floorplans — Aventura, Brickell and Biscayne — will feature either three bedrooms with 2.5 bathrooms or four bedrooms with 3.5 bathrooms.
The Crossings is the sixth Minto neighborhood to be developed in Westlake. Last summer, the company opened the Orchards with 358 single-family homes in phase one starting in the $400s, and the Estates, an enclave of 76 luxury homes on 75-foot homesites starting in the $500s. Altogether, Westlake is approved for 4,500 homes and more than two million square feet of non-residential space. Phase two construction of the Westlake Adventure Park is also underway.
Commercial development continues to boom as well. The Westlake City Council recently approved site plans for a new shopping center and cluster of restaurants known as the Shoppes of Westlake Landings, as well as a new family entertainment center known as Adrenaline World. Construction on both projects is expected to start in 2022. A self-storage facility is also being planned for the 50-acre Westlake Landings business park.
Meanwhile, Publix recently broke ground on a multi-tenant retail center that will be anchored by a 50,000-square-foot grocery store, and Christ Fellowship Church has broken ground on an 800-seat worship center. The Palm Beach County Tax Collector’s Office has finished construction on a new regional service center, which is set to open to the public soon.
Westlake is located at 16610 Town Center Parkway North in the City of Westlake, on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road between Southern Blvd. and Northlake Blvd. For more information, call (888) 299-3628 or visit www.westlakefl.com.
