Sun, serenity and southern sweet tea
The Antilles’ lifestyle is a showcase for all that makes Southwest Florida a world class destination
It is quiet at Antilles, even peaceful. Set back from the Collier Boulevard corridor and with no surrounding buildings to bounce back noises, the prevailing sounds of nature shape its ambience - wind, birds and insects, pets, and possibly a chicken - occasionally choreographed to the waterfall sounds of Antilles’ own twin lake fountains. When the summer rains blow through in particular, the fountains’ displays bend in unison with the winds as though animated. On sunny days, the same showers can bring rainbows - simple miracles of color many homeowners’ compare on their cellphones like the pure wonders they are.
Antilles is surrounded by preserves and deep landscaped installations on all sides. Even the access road to its cut de sac location is bordered on one side by the native grasses and deep vegetation typical of its old Florida surroundings, enhancing its stillness and making it feel off the beaten path. Rookery Bay Reserve is its next door neighbor to the west, providing 110,000 acres of undeveloped, no-construction-allowed estuaries and islands that serve as sound buffers and endless resources of local and migratory bird and nature sightings. Antilles’ homeowners have nearly unrivaled sunset views every day, and its Flamingo Club amenity center has become a favored spot most evenings to take in that view. No need to tote a beach chair to the Gulf when Antilles’ own oversized Tiki Hut offers wide westerly views as the sun sets from the north end to its southern horizon and back again all year long.
Antilles is a 54-acre community designed around its central 5-acre Kingfisher Lake and adjacent wetland preserve. Phase 1 included about one-third of its units and has sold out. Phase 2 is currently under construction. Its first release of Grand Coach Homes has sold out and those homeowners have been moving in since the spring. The next release of Classic and Grand Coach Homes is scheduled to be completed early this fall. The balance of Phase 2 Coach Homes are scheduled to be completed and close between Christmas 2022 and first quarter 2023. Antilles 3rd Phase of Grand Coach Homes has not been priced for sale yet.
As the community’s population has grown, so have the homeowners’ neighborly relations and friendships. Groups have formed, sometimes around shared interests or activities, and often based on home state affiliations, to enough of a degree that when the World Series, Super Bowl, Sweet 16, Final 4 and Hockey Playoffs roll around they are sure to be more spirited than last year’s Flamingo Clubhouse celebrations when everyone was just starting out in the brand new community. Homeowners know who the planners are, who makes great appetizers, luscious fudge, jello shots, Easter ham and Derby Day drinks. To whatever degree each family chooses, a community of people with varying interests has formed at Antilles and everyone is invited to share. JMD Development has ben a generous supporter of its homeowners’ interests. As a family owned business homebased in Iowa, it has been a responsive and enthusiastic partner in Antilles success. Goodwill is the hallmark of its relationships with its on-site development team and is reflected in homeowners interactions. Antilles is a nice place to live.
Southern sweet tea has become Antilles’ soft spoken way of saying that it is nice to live in Florida where there is no state income tax and the weather is so mild that you don’t know for sure if it is January or June; in SWFL where the Gulf of Mexico offers manatees and gentle surf; in Naples, which was again ranked at the top of Travel + Leisure Magazine’s safest cities, combining all the particular charms of a small town with resort level amenities; and in Antilles, where handsome architecture, superior standard finishes and a fine neighborhood define the best Good Life available.
Antilles’ Coach Homes are all built as 4-unit, single-floor, 3-Bedroom residences with attached Garages and screened-in Lanais. They showcase classically elegant, West Indies Island style architecture presented in dove grey tones with sharp white and charcoal trims and highlights. Exteriors are superior concrete block construction with stucco smooth coat finishes. A strong advantage to purchasing while the unit is being built is that buyers can make their peronalizing flooring, tile and countertop selections before the unit is completed.
Classic Coach Homes are distinguished by striking 2-story exterior staircases as design focal points. The first floor Saba features a Great Room floorplan with 1,537 square feet under air. The upper floor Tobago is a 1,509 square foot residence with higher ceilings for a wide open ambience and unobstructed views to the south. The first floor Saba designer model includes a new Kitchen feature. The Classics offer single-car Garages and are priced from the high $400,000’s.
The remaining Grand Coach Homes offer upper floor Montserrat floorplans with 2,444 square feet under air and include 2-car Garages. It is the largest residence in Antilles and features a ground floor Entry that sets it apart for its single family home ambience. It includes treetop views and higher ceilings enhanced by recessed cove details in the Great Room and Master Bedroom. The Phase 2 decorator model highlights the cove with deep crown molding, one of very few upgrades to the unit used to highlight its presentation. When considering a home in Antilles, note that its building standards include Kohler, Quartz countertops, stainless steel Kitchen appliances, porcelain or luxury vinyl flooring in the main living areas, Laundry appliances, solid wood cabinetry, Carrier AC systems and wind rated windows and doors. Montserrat pricing is from the low $600.000’s, and lake or landscaped orientations are available.
Antilles is a short drive from the fine dining and shopping opportunities of Old Naples and Marco Island’s world class beaches and fishing spots, which are equally close. It is a gated community 2 miles south of Tamiami Trail East (US 41), off Collier Boulevard (SR 951). Turn east on Port Au Prince Road and continue to The Flamingo Club, 155 Indies Drive East, Naples, FL 34114. Antilles is represented by JRW Developer Resources, a division of John R. Wood Properties. Please refer to AntillesNaples.com to register for the most current updates or call 239-691-4455 for an appointment. The Sales Center is open daily 10AM to 5PM and Noon to 5PM on Sundays. Jaime and Kerry are on site to present the property.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Sun, serenity and southern sweet tea
