For Those 55 & Better

The award-winning, active adult community of Solivita opened just 21 miles south of Walt Disney World Resort in Poinciana in May 2000 and has prospered ever since. Built by AV Homes Inc., formerly Avatar Holdings, the community boasts approximately 3,500 homes and more than 6,000 residents. Home prices range from the $130s to $400s.

Residents come from all over the country to enjoy Solivita’s location, weather and abundance of amenities.

The nearly 4,300-acre property is significantly larger than most active adult communities in Central Florida.

“The size of the community is something that truly sets it apart,” said Ken Plonski, vice president of communications for AV Homes. “There are more than 1,200 acres of wetlands and nature preserves, providing a very natural feeling. Given its size, there are a lot more activities and amenities to enjoy than you would expect of a typical active adult community.”

The 148,000 square feet of amenities includes seven Har-Tru tennis courts and two DecoTurf 2 tennis courts; two 18-hole championship golf courses; 11 pickleball courts; 14 heated swimming pools; two bocce courts; aerobics studio; a 17,000-square-foot ballroom; waterfront galleries; a park; 32,000-square-foot fitness facility; and more. The Palms Amenities Complex also includes a brick paver sun deck, wraparound terrace for social events, outdoor fireplace piazza, Members Club Room, Business Center, 1,800-square-foot multipurpose room, and more.

Residents also can participate in 200 different community clubs that vary from sports to social to arts and crafts.

“At Solivita, you can do as much or as little as you please,” Plonski said.

Another distinguishing aspect of Solivita is the community’s overall design concept.

“It’s not the typical sterile buildings,” Plonski said. “These have a lot of character to them. The Village Center was designed to create the intimate feel of a Mediterranean village. This is evident when first entering through the newly renovated Welcome Center. As we continue to build, we will carry on that design concept.”

Solivita’s Tuscan-style houses are arranged into 12 neighborhoods and include detached and attached single-family homes, ranging in size from 1,400 square feet to more than 3,000 square feet. Buyers have the opportunity to add optional upgrades to their homes.

“Right now we are in the process of building 12 new model homes, which will open in the fall,” Plonski said. “These are brand-new designs that have been created with a lot of buyer feedback in mind. The 12 new models will feature new looks and floor plans that are really going to appeal to the 55+ buyer.”

Resident feedback also has been helpful in continuing to enhance the overall community of Solivita.

“When one of our three restaurants closed, we began re-evaluating what to do with that space,” Plonski said. “After speaking with residents, we are now working toward making it a demonstration kitchen, which would not only provide a third restaurant here in the community, but would also help further facilitate our ever-popular cooking classes.”

The community boasts two restaurants. The Grille at Stonegate is at the golf club and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Gateway Café offers a variety of breakfast and lunch options.

“Both restaurants provide fare that is priced right, tasty and constantly changing,” Plonski said. There also is a strong sense of community spirit at Solivita.

“We have several events throughout the year that are very well-attended, such as our large arts-and-crafts event in the fall,” Plonski said. “We recently tried to set the world’s record for the largest Zumba class. Though we missed the record by about 100 people, we were ecstatic to have 1,200 participants.”

Seeing residents well into their 70s and 80s enjoying Zumba classes is typical at Solivita. “Residents here recognize that staying healthy and active can help them live a longer and more productive life,” Plonski said. “Solivita provides countless opportunities for them to indulge in that lifestyle.”

The community has also received numerous accolades. In 2002, Builder Magazine recognized Solivita as America’s Best Active Adult Community; and Where To Retire Magazine named it as one of America’s Best Master-Planned Communities for active adults for three consecutive years. In total, Solivita has received more 70 design and community-planning, environmental sustainability and other awards.

Though Solivita is a 55-and-older community, families are always welcome to visit.

“At Solivita we recognize how important family time is, and residents are proud to be able to provide their families with such a great place to visit,” Plonski said. “Given our close proximity to Orlando, a lot of residents enjoy taking their relatives, especially grandchildren, to the major theme parks.”

Solivita’s location is also perfectly situated near many stores and services in Poinciana. One upcoming area addition that residents are looking forward to is the Poinciana Medical Center being built across the street. The facility’s 11,000-square-foot freestanding Emergency Department is set to open in early 2013.

“Having a quality medical facility so close in proximity is very important to the age group that we serve,” Plonski said. “You won’t find many active adult communities who can boast that.”

He noted that the best site to be seen at Solivita is not the buildings or greenery, but the happy faces from residents.

“People look at living here as their life’s reward,” Plonski said. “They have worked hard all their lives and have come to the conclusion that this is their time, and they want to enjoy it to the fullest. The level of happiness of our residents is off the chart.”

Solivita’s office is located at 395 Village Drive in Kissimmee. Operating hours are Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. For more information, call 800-860-7613 or visit www.solivita.com on the Web.