City of Westlake Approves Plan for New International Prep School
CITY OF WESTLAKE, FL – (October 29, 2019) — The City of Westlake has approved development of a cutting-edge international day and boarding college preparatory school offering elite sports training programs and facilities which is expected to be ready for full operation by the fall of 2021.
On Monday, October 28, the Westlake City Council approved a master plan submitted by Coral Springs-based Contraria Development and SOCR Ventures II to develop the International Sports Training Facility (ISTF) on approximately 91 acres located in the far south portion of Westlake on the east side of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.
Contraria is under contract to acquire the land from Minto Communities and is scheduled to close at the end of the year. SOCR is an affiliate company that will operate the complex.
"We strongly feel Westlake is the perfect home for our school," said David Shaggy, president and CEO of Contraria Development. "We look forward to working with Minto and the City on this project and establishing a relationship with the community for many years to come."
The development group plans on building a Pre-K through 12 private prep school with a specialized sports training program. While it is mainly geared towards developing soccer talent, the school will also cater to those interested in golf and tennis. The ISTF will offer these students and athletes the ability to live and learn in a community that integrates all of the necessary tools to achieve their potential and will include advanced academic curriculum that includes Honors, AP, IB, STEM and Fine Arts programs. The school's curriculum will be designed with an adaptive college preparatory program for all levels of academic capabilities utilizing multiple learning resources that focus on the specific needs of students
Contraria was approved for 533,000 square feet of building facilities, which includes the lower and upper schools, dormitories and office space, a 10,000-seat exhibition field, a multi-purpose field, 10 soccer fields and 15 tennis courts.
In addition to giving a green light to the master plan, the City approved the site plan for Phase 1A of construction that includes seven soccer fields and a state-of-the-art clubhouse. Plans for the school construction, or Phase 1B, will soon be submitted to the planning and zoning department for approval.
ISTF expects to attract a mix of day students from the Palm Beach County metro area, and boarding students from other parts of Florida, the U.S. and other countries.
"We are extremely pleased that Contraria chose Westlake to develop its world-class, prototype educational and sports training center," said John Carter, Minto Communities vice president. "We strongly believe this school will add tremendous value to our growing city and help put Westlake on the international map."
Minto Communities is developing the 3,800-acre Westlake community that is approved for 4,500 homes and more than 2 million square feet of commercial space. Educational institutions are among the permitted uses.
Westlake is the fastest growing city in all of Florida according to the latest U.S. Census. Since launching sales two years ago, Minto has sold nearly 400 homes in its first two neighborhoods - The Hammocks, which is nearing close-out, and The Meadows, which offers single-family homes priced from the high $200s-$500s.
In June 2019, Minto opened the first phase of its $15 million amenities center at Westlake. The Westlake Adventure Park includes a resort-style lagoon pool with water slide, a kids' interactive splash pad, and poolside concessions. An expansive recreational lawn features a covered concert pavilion and grassy area for events, along with shade pavilions, grills and picnic area, BMX pump park, playground and bocce ball courts. Phase 2 will include basketball courts and adult lap pool.
Commercial development is also taking shape. Palm Beach County is finishing up construction on a new fire station and district headquarters, and FPL will soon deliver a new 400-acre solar energy center. Christ Fellowship Church submitted plans to build a new 13-acre campus on land adjacent to the ISTF. A new 7-11 convenience store and gas station is set to come online next year. In June, Wellington Regional Medical Center opened a free-standing emergency room to service the local area.
About Minto Communities USA:
Minto Communities USA, based in Florida since 1978, has represented integrity, financial strength and enduring value for over 40 years. Minto builds exceptional new homes and communities to meet every lifestyle, with more than 25,000 new homes built in 48 communities. Minto is dedicated to continuous improvement in design, quality and customer experience. These are just some of the elements that set Minto apart as an exceptional homebuilder and community developer and have earned the company national recognition that includes consistently high rankings from Eliant Customer Service Surveys. Minto has been recognized with multiple national awards from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) for community and home design, including Best Mixed-Use Community and Best Clubhouse for The Isles of Collier Preserve in Naples, Florida; Best Clubhouse for the Harbour Isle Beach Club in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida; and Best Sales Center for Westlake in the City of Westlake, Florida. Minto has earned multiple Aurora Awards from the Southeast Building Conference for Westlake, including the 2018 Silver Award for Best Single-Family Residential Community.
Minto is also recognized throughout the homebuilding industry as an expert in developing active-adult communities. The NAHB named Minto as 2019's 55+ Builder of the Year and Latitude Margaritaville Daytona Beach as Best 55+ Community of the Year.