Apollo Beach: New development borrows atmosphere of MiraBay
Harbour Isles will offer less expensive sites than MiraBay, its neighbor directly across U.S. 41.
By JANET ZINK
Published April 30, 2004
Land-clearing is under way at Harbour Isles, a 500-home community on 337 acres directly across U.S. 41 from MiraBay.
Home styles haven't been determined yet, but the community areas will have an old coastal Florida theme similar to MiraBay's.
Coincidence?
Not a chance.
MiraBay is "a very successful project that's going to bring a lot of people to that part of the county looking at product who might not have come down there before," said Tom Gillette, project manager for SouthStar Development Partners in Coral Gables, the company behind Harbour Isles.
Some of the folks drawn to MiraBay, Gillette said, might end up taking a peek at the less-expensive homes across the street. Single-family homes at Harbour Isles, built by David Weekley, Taylor Woodrow and Morrison Homes, will be priced in the mid $200,000s and $300,000s. Home prices at MiraBay range from about $200,000 to more than $2-million.
"You have to position Harbour Isles under MiraBay. We don't have as many units, we don't have the deep-water access," Gillette said.
Harbour Isles will, however, offer boat storage and nearly every home will be on a man-made lake or overlook a lush wetlands preserve, Gillette said. The 10-acre community park will include a swimming pool, hot tub and a fitness center. A large fishing lake with sunning decks and a boardwalk will be on land lushly landscaped with native plants.
Model homes are likely to be open by the end of the year, Gillette said.
"There's a lot of synergy taking place in that part of the county and I think it's the place to be," Gillette said of SouthStar's decision to build in Apollo Beach. The 7-year-old company also has communities in Jacksonville, Orlando, the Florida Keys and Dallas. Harbour Isles is its first in the Tampa area.
