Richland Communities has recently filed construction plans to expand an existing subdivision located within its Sugarloaf Mountain master-planned community in Minneola.
Submitting construction plans to the St. Johns River Water Management District last month, the Tampa-based developer is proposing an additional 53 lots on just over 23 acres for the gated neighborhood off Mountain Club Drive south of County Road 455.
Identified as Unit 3B within the larger Sugarloaf Mountain community, the 75-foot-wide expansion lots will add to the existing 165 estate lots within the current phase of development, bringing the total to 218 lots. All of the other communities in Sugarloaf feature a mix of 45-foot, 55-foot, and 65-foot lots.
According to Richland VP Matt Young, the company plans to begin grading efforts for Unit 3B later this summer.
This portion of the development process is the second of two sections planned within the second phase of Sugarloaf Mountain.
The first section, known as Sunny Ridge, was sold to California-based homebuilder New Home Co. for approximately $55 million last October.
Slated for 369 lots on 145 acres within Sugarloaf Mountain, lot sizes within Sunny Ridge will range from 45 feet to 60 feet in width and the community will include a 13.3-acre amenity tract with scenic views from Sugarloaf Mountain, sitting over 300 feet above sea level at the highest elevation in Central Florida.
The deal breaks down to about $150,000 per homesite. New Home Co., which merged with Landsea Homes last year, acquired the property through a land-banking deal with Magnolia Land Capital. The transaction closed on Oct. 20.
Richland acquired land for the 1,420-acre Sugarloaf Mountain project back in 2015 and won approval for a Planned Unit Development, or PUD, that would divide the community into three phases.
With construction working its way from south to north, the three-phase development program ultimately allows for up to 2,434 homes and 120,000 square feet of commercial space.
Richland is also required to reserve at least 15 acres for a future school site, provide land for a future fire station, or build a fire station in exchange for impact fee credits.
Richland sold the first two residential pods within Sugarloaf Mountain to Lennar in 2023 for $77 million. The Lennar transaction was followed in 2024 with two more deals, combining for nearly $50 million in land sales.
In August 2024, the developer sold a 205-lot subdivision, Whispering Winds at Sugarloaf Mountain, to Stanley Martin Homes for $26 million.
At $127,000 per lot before engineering, the deal was more than Lennar paid for its 800+ lots, which set the record for Lake County at $95,000 per entitled lot.
A few months later, in November 2024, Richland sold Pine Ridge at Sugarloaf Mountain — a subdivision approved for 178 homes — to Tri Pointe Homes for $23.97 million.
With over three different lot sizes available for development, the deal for Pine Ridge broke down to an average price of over $134,000 per entitled lot.
Earlier this year, in February, Richland received approval from Minneola City Council to move forward with its Shepherd’s Landing mixed-use community and had construction begin on its Cypress Reserve residential community in Groveland.
Located on 261 acres south of Florida’s Turnpike in Minneola, approximately 1.25 miles east of US 27, Shepherd’s Landing will be divided into three sections by Scrub Jay Lane and Sullivan Avenue.
According to current plans for the development, Shepherd’s Landing is expected to contain 47,044 square feet of commercial space and over 25 acres of open green space. A dedicated 10-acre utility tract would also be set aside for a future city-owned wastewater treatment facility.
Residential neighborhoods within the development would include a mix of options for various household sizes and income levels. The community will have approximately 652 detached homes and 443 attached units.
Out near the Green Swamp in Groveland, construction of the 673-home Cypress Reserve community is underway.
The project, located on 486 acres south of State Road 50 on the west side of Max Hooks Road, northeast of Montevista Road, has gone through several interations since it was first approved in the early 2000s.
The final, approved version calls for 607 single-family homes and 66 townhome units — all under contract to Tri Pointe Homes, Risewell Homes (formerly Landsea), and Toll Brothers.
Amenities in Cypress Reserve will include a community pool, pickleball and tennis courts, a kayak launch, and indoor gathering spaces. Tri Pointe Orlando Division President Joel Underwood said he anticipates opening the homes for sale in the fourth quarter of 2026 later this year.
Have a tip about Central Florida development? Contact me at jwilkins@orlandosentinel.com or 407-754-4980. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.
