Fairfield celebrates grand opening

EAST COUNTY — The East County’s newest community opened this weekend along State Road 70.

Developer Neal Communities held its public grand opening Nov. 3 and Nov. 4 for Fairfield, a community of 140 maintenance-free, paired villas located at 5430 Chatham Square Way, just west of Natalie Way.

Homes, which range in size from 1,434 square feet to 1,524 square feet, are priced from the high $100,000s.

The Crystal Sand and The Tidewater models are new plans being offered. Neal Communities President Pat Neal said the designs better utilize natural light and have a larger feel.

“It’s a remarkable location,” Neal said. “You’ll find almost nothing on State Road 70, west of I-75 (that’s new). It’s closer to play, closer to the beaches and closer to downtown, with the exception of the Woodbrook (community).”

The private, gated Fairfield community has controlled-access entry and includes a pool, cabana, patio area, party room and fitness center.

Neal said of all the 61 communities he’s built in Manatee County over the last 40 years, he is most proud of the landscaping at Fairfield.

“The landscaping at the entry is exciting,” he said. “The buffer, native and ornamental vegetation creates a common and surprisingly gorgeous look in an urban setting.”

The developer broke ground on Fairfield in May. Final site plans for the 27-acre project had been approved by the county in January.

Neal said he purchased the 27-acre Fairfield site in late 2005, anticipating it would be an extension of the Harborage development in terms of inventory offerings. With the change in the real-estate market, however, Neal said the villa product proved to be a better fit for the community.

Neal Communities already has had record-breaking sales for 2012. Fairfield is the second community Neal has opened this year; Grand Palm in Venice opened in September.

Woodbrook, located at southeast corner of Lockwood Ridge Road and Honore Avenue, opened in November 2011.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].