Imagine yourself sitting on a dock, with your feet up and a cool drink in hand. Maybe you have a fishing pole or maybe you are just absorbing the glorious rays and coastal breezes of a typical Southwest Florida day. This carefree lifestyle is one of the many draws of island living and, with London Bay Homes’ new Sarasota Keys Collection designed for the group of islands west of Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, every day can be an escape to paradise without having to be too far from the attractions of mainland life.
The Sarasota Keys consist of Casey Key, Lido Key, St. Armands Key, Otter Key, Coon Key, Bird Key, Siesta Key, and Longboat Key. This group of islands features miles of award-winning beaches, casual and fine dining, and a variety of shopping destinations. Cross the bridge to the mainland and you’ll have easy access to Sarasota’s many urban amenities, including the Theater and Arts District, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and the new Mall at University Town Center, among other attractions. As an award-winning Sarasota homebuilder, London Bay Homes instantly saw the appeal of the island keys, as well as a lack of luxury home buying opportunities in such an ideal location. The new Sarasota Keys Collection offers the perfect complement to island living with coastal contemporary styling, rich architecture, and high-quality construction from America’s Best Builder. Currently, London Bay Homes is in the process of building six unique waterfront homes located throughout the islands and surrounding areas, from Casey Key to Longboat Key. Each home is in a different stage of development, but all of them feature the same quality craftsmanship, West Indies and Contemporary Coastal architecture that maximizes water views and provides a connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, hints of tropical ports-of-call, and the award-winning designs of Romanza Interior Design.
Siesta Key is an 8-mile long, crescent-shaped barrier island that is home to the Siesta Public Beach, named #1 beach in the United States by “Dr. Beach.” London Bay Homes owns two exclusive properties along Siesta Key’s bayfront and beachfront settings, as well as the remaining home sites in the luxury gated community of Spice Bay in Siesta Key. This community consists of just 14 home sites in a lush setting filled with majestic oaks, lush native palms, and tropical plants alongside Sarasota Bay. Five model homes are planned for the community and two are already under construction.
The Somerset model home is a two-story estate home with four bedrooms and four bathrooms in its 4,500 square feet overlooking Spice Bay’s gardens. The model was designed for entertaining and offers a formal dining room, walk-in butler’s pantry, and wine room. It will also have a study, great room, a second-floor loft with a family room and wet bar, and large outdoor living areas offering a summer kitchen, fireplace, and custom pool and spa.
The Mandeville is the second model home currently under construction and will feature 5,010 square feet with panoramic waterfront views of Sarasota Bay from key indoor and outdoor living spaces. This estate home boasts four bedrooms and four full- and two half-bathrooms, as well as a study, dining room, walk-in butler’s pantry, wine room, and a second floor featuring a game room, wet bar, three private suites, and balconies and terraces showcasing the infinity-edge pool and water views.
Just north of Spice Bay in Siesta Key is the Celadon estate home located on the shores of Sarasota Bay. This two-story, four bedroom home is in the design stages of construction and will have its own boat dock on Sea Plume Way. Head towards the northernmost tip of Siesta Key and you’ll find the fourth London Bay Homes’ model on the island: the Solymar waterfront home. This planned three-story, four bedroom home will feature more than 5,800 square feet with a guest casita, an oversized master suite, two outdoor kitchens, and a five-car garage. The luxurious home is enhanced by its prime location on a private gated street overlooking Big Pass.
Originally named after the large amount of birds that flocked to the island, Bird Key is now known for some of the best boating water in Sarasota. It is also conveniently located near the eco-tourism and sunset cruises of Lido Key and Longboat Key beaches, the fine shops and restaurants of St. Armands Circle, and the entertaining nightlife of Downtown Sarasota.
On this quaint island, London Bay Homes is currently building the Cedarberry, a single-family estate home on Mourning Dove Drive with four bedrooms, four-and-one-half bathrooms, a study, dining room, and large outdoor living space. The canal-front home will accommodate yachts up to 70 feet with a new dock, a new seawall, and prime deep-water access to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Camberdale is a two-story estate model currently under construction on Oleander Street in Sarasota’s historic South Poinsettia neighborhood. This luxury model home is not located on an island key, but it is close enough to enjoy the carefree island lifestyle without the full dedication of being completely surrounded by water. Its location is highly coveted due to its proximity to island living, as well as the mainland’s Zagat-rated restaurants, locally owned boutiques, and performing arts venues. The four-bedroom custom model will offer a rare opportunity for a downtown lifestyle west of Tamiami Trail in a single-family home within Sarasota’s historic district.