MetroWest (Orlando)

Geography

The 1,805-acre (730 ha) mixed-use community is located in western Orlando. It is bounded by Kirkman Road to the east; by Turkey Lake to the southeast; by Pembrooke Pines development to the south; by the Florida's Turnpike to the southwest; Apopka-Vineland Road on its western tip; and to the north by Steer Lake Road, Edgewood Children's Ranch, Lake Hiawassee and Orlo Vista, Florida.

Bisecting the middle of the development, winding from north to south, is South Hiawassee Road, which also serves as the main entrance coming from the north and only entrance from the south. The other north entry point is through Lake Vilma Drive, off of Steer Lake Road. There are several entrances on the eastern side of the community, from north to south: Westgate Dr; Raleigh St; the north and south Valencia Community College Dr; north and south Metropolis Way; MetroWest Blvd, the main entrance of the community; and Arnold Palmer Drive. The main entrance of MetroWest is only 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north of Universal Studios Orlando.

History

Prior to its development, the area south of Hiawassee Road, a county road, was endless rows of orange groves divided between the city limits of Orlando and Orange County. Between 1980 and 1981, Aaron Dowd, vice-president of Debra, Inc. bought the MetroWest Development acreage for $22 million in cash from 23 landowners, in behalf of unidentified investors. Debra Inc. is a Florida company created for the project and was owned by Debra N.V. of the Netherlands Antilles. The real owners of the corporation were never revealed, but Orange County Circuit Court documents involving a real estate commission dispute filed against the company several years ago indicate that a Saudi Arabian banking family are behind the project.

The $500 million-plus development gained approval from the City Council on November 15, 1982 and the developer's agreement was accepted by the city on February 28, 1983. Initial work on the development involves the construction of the necessary infrastructures of a community like stormwater drainage system, 2.5 million gallons capacity of sewage system, grading of the undeveloped land and road construction. Hiawassee Road was realigned, extended and widened into a four-lane roadway. Raleigh Street was extended to connect to Hiawassee. Large black tile entrance signs were built north and south on Hiawassee, with a more elaborate entrance with fountains at the main entrance on MetroWest Boulevard off Kirkman Road. Sections within Orange County were annexed to the city limits of Orlando to avail the municipal services of Orlando like police and fire protection, sewage collection and treatment, trash and garbage removal, street and storm drainage maintenance, and utilities.

After five years and an estimated $50 million worth of preparation, tracts of land were sold to developers and builders for residential and business projects. The Metrowest Master Association (MWMA) was established by Debra, Inc. on February 17, 1986 and thereafter, all construction and design plans are first examined by the Design Review Board (DRB) of the MWMA following strict guidelines before approval. The original master plan for the community included up to 4,500 residential units; 6 million square feet of office space, 2.5 million square feet of retail, restaurant, and industrial space; and 3,700 hotel rooms. Like other master-planned communities, the development was designed as a place where people can live, work and play. The 350-acre (140 ha) urban center, where dense development was planned, lies south of MetroWest Blvd and extends to Turkey Lake. The development has an about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of frontage on the lake.

Work on the Metrowest Golf clubhouse was started in 1986. It was opened and dedicated the following year. The course was first managed by the Arnold Palmer Golf Management. Residential development near the community's 18-hole golf course was started in 1987. By 1989, about 700 single-family homes or villas have been built or planned. Another 1,300 apartment units had been built or were on the drawing boards. Development was also started on the community's most exclusive residential area, Palma Vista, a planned 200-lot subdivision that surrounds the 13th and 14th holes of the golf course on the highest land in the community. The crest of the property, at an elevation of 198 feet (60 m) above sea level, is one of the highest points in Orange County and offers views of downtown Orlando's skyline 5 miles (8.0 km) to the east. The community's first shopping center, MetroWest Village at the corner of S. Hiawassee Rd and Westpointe Blvd, was opened in the fall of 1990 completely leased.

Homes

There are nine subdivisions with single-family homes and one townhome complex in Metrowest with a total 1,259 residential units.

Condominiums

Fourteen condominium complexes with over 4,851 residential units. Some of these dwellings were previous apartments converted into condominiums during the housing boom.

Apartments

Ten complexes with a total of 3,557 units make up the apartments in MetroWest.

Others

Schools located within Metrowest

Middle School

Students who live west of South Hiawassee Drive are zoned to attend Gotha Middle School on Gotha Road in Windermere, Florida. Students east of South Hiawassee Drive go to Chain of Lakes Middle School on Conroy-Windermere Road in also in Windermere.

High School

High school students living in MetroWest are zoned to Olympia High School on Apopka-Vineland Road in Orlando, which opened in August 2001.

Awards