Residents Begin Moving into SeaFlower as Major Southwest Bradenton Development Takes Shape

After more than a decade of planning and preparation, residents have begun moving into SeaFlower, a 1,175-acre master-planned community taking shape in southwest Bradenton. The large-scale development, located south of Cortez Road between 86th Street and IMG Academy, is one of the first new communities of its kind on the west side of Manatee County in two decades.

SeaFlower is designed as a mixed-use community with up to 4,000 homes, 600 apartments, 250 hotel rooms, and 350,000 square feet of office and retail space at full buildout. The project’s first phase covers 400 acres centered around a manmade lake named Lake Flores and includes more than 1,000 homes, a Publix-anchored shopping center, and a network of pedestrian and cycling trails.

Construction began on the first homes in early 2025, and the first homeowners moved in during September. About 110 homes have sold since sales opened in May, with five builders—Cardel Homes, David Weekley Homes, Issa Homes, Pulte Homes, and M/I Homes—participating in the initial phase. Approximately 65 homes are currently under construction.

The community’s design draws on “old Florida” coastal aesthetics, with architecture in light pastels and white tones, complemented by features aimed at reducing automobile dependence. Plans call for a 2.5-mile multimodal trail encircling Lake Flores, linking the retail area with the Garden Club amenity campus, which is now under construction. The Garden Club will feature a fitness center, pool, meeting spaces, a children’s area, and pickleball courts upon completion in fall 2026.

SeaFlower’s origins date back more than a decade, when the Preston family—owners of the former Manatee Fruit Co., which operated a flower farm on the site for four generations—sought a path forward for their land after agricultural operations declined. Developer Ed Hill of Lake Flores Land Co. collaborated with the family and Manatee County officials over several years of rezoning, permitting, and planning to create a cohesive, mixed-use community.

Development of SeaFlower is planned in three 400-acre phases. The second phase is expected to commence in approximately two years, contingent upon sales and market conditions.

Alongside residential construction, work has begun on SeaFlower Village Center, a 140,000-square-foot shopping complex anchored by a 50,000-square-foot Publix supermarket. Other confirmed tenants include Club Pilates, Dutch Bros. Coffee, Whataburger, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Playa Bowls, Pecan Jacks, PacDental, Well Groomed Pets, and Glitz Nail Salon and Boutique. Developers Casto and Redstone Investments anticipate completion of the center by late 2026.

Future phases will continue expanding the residential and commercial footprint, bringing more housing options and amenities to a part of Manatee County that has seen relatively little large-scale development in recent years. The goal, project leaders say, is to create a community that complements its surroundings while adding new vitality to West Bradenton.