If you’re not familiar, Wellen Park is in the Sarasota County part of Southwest Florida. Think south of Sarasota.

Because Florida narrows in this section of the state, it’s very coastal. You’re roughly 9 to 11 miles — about 15 to 20 minutes — from multiple beaches. You’ve got downtown Venice nearby. The area feels quaint, almost old-school coastal.

Honestly, in vibe, it feels closer to St. Augustine or parts of coastal Georgia or North Carolina than what many people picture when they think “Florida.”

But then they layered in new construction — not randomly, and not in isolation.

That’s really the magic of Wellen Park.

It’s a master plan made up of multiple new construction communities serving different price points and lifestyles, all tied together by a walkable downtown area. It’s golf-cart friendly. There are restaurants. There’s programming. It feels intentional.

And it didn’t happen all at once.

The Evolution of Wellen Park

Originally, there was something called West Villages. It had its own identity — retirement-focused, new construction, kind of its own ecosystem.

Then it evolved into Wellen Park.

They added the Playmore District. They expanded south. They incorporated Boca Royale. Now, when you look at the website, it all appears as one big cohesive master plan — but there were stages to how it got here.

When the Playmore District first launched, people were excited — but it was also a bit of a leap of faith.

There weren’t always model homes to walk. Downtown wasn’t fully built. Buyers were committing based on renderings and reputation. And because Sarasota’s traditional “center of gravity” has always been north — downtown Sarasota, St. Armands, Lido, Siesta — going south felt like a bit of a risk to some people.

Today, in 2026, that’s not really the case.

Wellen Park is its own thing now.

And what’s happening next is the natural transition into the next phase.

Why These New Communities Matter

If you look at Wellen Park online, it appears like there’s abundant inventory.

But when you actually start shopping, you realize:

• Some neighborhoods are sold out.

• Others are almost completely spoken for.

• Certain floor plans are gone.

• Certain lot sizes are gone.

So what looks like availability isn’t always real availability.

The communities I’m talking about today are essentially filling gaps that are forming as earlier phases wrap up.

This is a transition moment.

Ashcomb — DR Horton Townhomes Near the School

The first new addition is called Ashcomb, and it’s by DR Horton.

It’s so new that if you go to the Wellen Park interactive map, you can see it there. But if you download the PDF version, it hasn’t even been updated yet. It’s not fully clickable in all the places. That’s how fresh this is.

Ashcomb is expected to be a townhome community.

DR Horton is the number one volume builder in the country. Lennar is number two. Their business model isn’t about heavy customization — it’s about scale.

They control materials. They pre-design their offerings. They streamline options. That allows them to offer cost efficiencies.

This is their “Express” product.

You’re getting stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, turnkey finishes — but without the drawn-out customization process.

From what I’m seeing, pricing should start in the low $300Ks.

That’s meaningful.

Location Is the Key Here

Ashcomb is positioned very close to the new Wellen Park High School.

Previously, families in this area went to Venice Senior High. Now Wellen Park has its own high school, and there are plans for additional K–8 infrastructure as well.

Being able to walk, bike, or golf-cart to school matters.

Especially when you look at what’s actually left near the school footprint:

• Lakespur — nearly finished

• Antigua — sold out

• Tortuga — sold out

• Oasis — sold out

• Gran Place — sold out

• Brightmore — 55+

• Wellen Park Golf & Country Club — different product type

On a map, it looks abundant.

In reality, walkable options are tight.

Ashcomb fills that gap.

Simply Dwell — Another More Attainable Entry Point

The second addition in this more attainable category is Simply Dwell.

From what I understand, this is connected to Pat Neal / Neal Communities — a builder group that’s extremely active throughout Southwest Florida.

Simply Dwell appears to be their more streamlined, affordability-focused product.

Less customization.
Simplified choices.
More emphasis on monthly payment positioning.

That marketing approach tells you who they’re targeting — people who care about payment clarity.

And again, this is located near the school area.

Between Ashcomb and Simply Dwell, Wellen Park is clearly addressing a need:

Not everyone wants — or can — start at $600K to $800K for a single-family home.

There have been a lot of buyers saying:

“I want to be around $500K.”
“I’m not sure if we’re full-time yet.”
“I want something transitional.”

These communities create options for that.

Ashcomb is also expected to allow six-month minimum rentals, which isn’t super common in this area. That flexibility can matter for people testing the market or planning longer-term transitions.

Westlake — The Semi-Custom Gap Filler

Now let’s shift up the ladder.

There’s another community coming called Westlake, and this one fills a different void entirely.

If you think about builder tiers:

• DR Horton / Lennar — streamlined, spec-focused

• Taylor Morrison / Neal / Pulte — more floor plan options, moderate customization

• Semi-custom tier — more lot flexibility, more structural changes

• Full custom

That semi-custom tier — roughly $900K to $1.3M depending on lot and finishes — is extremely popular.

You don’t necessarily want full custom.
But you want more than production-level.

The issue is that Everly, which served that lane (Lee Wetherington, John Cannon, Homes by WestBay, Neal Signature), is almost sold out.

So what replaces it?

Westlake is expected to step into that space.

If you look at what’s currently left:

• Palmera — strong but distinct

• Oakbend — boutique, limited

• Sunstone — Mattamy

• Brightmore — 55+ Mattamy

• Wellen Park Golf & Country Club — Lennar

There’s a narrowing in that semi-custom sweet spot.

Westlake addresses it.

Location-wise, it should sit west of Preto and near the River Road corridor — strong proximity to downtown Wellen.

Esplanade at Wellen Park — Resort Lifestyle Without Golf

Probably the most exciting addition for many people is Esplanade at Wellen Park by Taylor Morrison.

Esplanade is their amenity-rich, Mediterranean-tropical branded concept.

They typically launch with:

• Major clubhouse

• Resort-style pools

• Spa-level amenities

• Dining components

• Strong landscaping

And importantly, strong floor plans.

Their layouts tend to cascade well across sizes — meaning even their smaller homes feel intentional, not boxy afterthoughts.

This Esplanade is expected to follow more of the “social membership” model — not a deeded golf community.

So if you want:

• Resort-style amenities

• No age restriction

• No mandatory golf

• Strong Florida-style floor plans

This fills a void.

Right now, your choices look something like:

• Wellen Park Golf & Country Club — golf-focused

• Brightmore — 55+, pickleball-forward

• Production-level non-golf communities

Esplanade creates a middle lane.

The 90-Foot Lot Component

One interesting detail: is that John Cannon looks to be handeling the 90-foot lot section within the Esplanade area.

A 90-foot lot in a master plan is significant.

Florida homes are built around outdoor living. The width of the house determines how expansive the lanai and pool area can be. Wider lot means wider footprint. Wider footprint means better pool proportions.

If John Cannon handles those larger lots, that elevates the overall ceiling of the community.

There has also been talk of potential reciprocal relationships with the remodeled Myakka Pines Golf Club — but as of now, I would not call this a golf community.

The Real Theme: Transition

If you zoom out, this isn’t random.

This is a transition cycle.

Earlier communities are wrapping up.
Inventory is tightening in certain tiers.
Wellen Park is releasing the next wave.

• More attainable near the schools

• Semi-custom replacement

• Resort-style non-golf option

• Possible urban-style additions

It’s filling gaps.

And for buyers who feel like they “missed” earlier phases, this next stage is meaningful.

Final Thoughts

A lot of this information will become clearer online over time.

But when you’re in a master-planned community that’s evolving quickly, knowing what’s coming — even if you don’t buy it — helps you avoid regret.

If you’re considering Wellen Park and want to talk through how any of this applies to you specifically, you can reach out at:

[email protected]

We also have updated 2026 relocation guides on the website — including one for Wellen Park — and I’ll be updating those as these communities officially roll out.

If this was helpful, I appreciate you reading. And as always, reach out if I can assist in any way.