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Construction of Lakeside at Waterman Village Continues Ahead of Schedule in Anticipation of Early 2022 Opening

November 16, 2021

There’s a palpable sense of anticipation in Mount Dora, Florida, where Lakeside at Waterman Village moves closer and closer toward completion each day. More than 300 construction professionals are on-site daily, and the Waterman Village team as well as the more than 130 future residents are eagerly awaiting the grand opening of this brand-new neighborhood. One of central Florida’s most enchanting retirement destinations is about to get even better.

Since officially breaking ground about a year ago, everyone is now locking into gear for the final stretch so the finishing touches can be in place for the planned grand opening in the spring of 2022. Those finishing touches will mark the start of an unmatched waterside living experience for the people who have proactively taken advantage of this rare opportunity.

Even closer to welcoming you

“We’re a lot further along than we were even just a few months ago,” Rodger Reeves, Waterman Village’s Vice President of Construction and Development, said. “Our team has even sent advance notifications to the first group of residents letting them know when their new homes will officially be ready for move-in.”

Acknowledging such a milestone makes sense given the impressive progress that has transpired around shimmering Lake Margaret. Specifically, Rodger noted that as of early November, every building on-site has now been “topped out,” meaning that each structure has a completed roof. This will help advance the finishing touches even further, as crews can now work indoors, making weather less of a concern.

“We’ve recently asked our interior design firm for the tentative schedule for FF&E [furniture, fixtures and equipment] installations and will marry that schedule with some of the other final interior work schedules,” Rodger added. “One of the biggest things in construction and project management is scheduling skilled trades so that they don’t get in each other’s way for the project to maintain productivity. Our partners at DeAngelis Diamond [the main contractor for Lakeside] have handled that scheduling very well.”

Back on the outside—which you can see in Lakeside’s live construction camera—Rodger mentioned that nearly all of the first phase of the Lakeside Grand building has had exterior stone and painting work completed.

Also at Lakeside Grand, the outdoor pool deck has been installed and framing of the decorative walls is in place. These touches will play a large part in making the Lakeside Lodge at this sun-soaked community feel more like an all-inclusive resort.

Rising above

One signature element of Lakeside at Waterman Village will soon be complete: the bridge connecting the new neighborhood to the existing Waterman Village community. It will rise above Donnelly Street and provide an easy way for pedestrians and golf carts to flow between the two campuses.

More importantly, members of this new neighborhood will be just minutes—if not seconds— away from all the fun and friends awaiting them at The Oaks, Waterman Village’s existing independent living neighborhood.

“A lot of people didn’t realize we were putting in a bridge to connect the two,” Rodger said. “Folks have really been glad to know how easy it will be to get across the street. In fact, it will be fully in place by mid-January. The bridge will bring some great visibility to this community locally, too.”

Rodger also made sure to note that the entire team has risen to the occasion to keep Lakeside at Waterman Village about six weeks ahead of the initial schedule.

“The performance of the contractor and the team have been excellent,” he said. “Because we directly purchased the supplies we needed in early 2021, we haven’t had to deal with the supply chain issues that are causing disruptions for similar projects in the area. Plus, our strong COVID-19 protocols have prevented us from any worksite shutdowns due to the virus, and labor hasn’t been an issue, either.”

Put it all together and it’s safe to say that Rodger is pleased and impressed with the ongoing team effort that now has Lakeside at Waterman Village so close to completion. He noted that the highly sought-after villa homes are nearly complete. The homes’ address numbers are already installed, and landscaping is finished.

“We toured the villa homes with the marketing team, and they all commented that each one was ‘like a custom-built house,’” he shared. “For someone who is part of a team that builds stuff, there isn’t a higher compliment than that.”

That certainly won’t be the last compliment that Lakeside at Waterman Village receives, especially once this community welcomes everyone who has seized the opportunity to enjoy an active and uplifting lifestyle along the shores of Lake Margaret.

Fortunately, there’s still time for you to join that group of proactive peers before reservations are completely full and before pre-opening pricing ends in the spring of 2022! Fewer than 20 residences remain, so be sure to get in touch online or call the friendly team at 352-385-1120 today.

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