Any opinions on Lake Olympia area in Ocoee... (Orlando, Pine Hills: violent crime, houses)

[eifvfeuin]

...specifically the Lake Olympia Lake Village subdivision in Ocoee? I have heard bad things about Pine Hills and parts of Ocoee but have also read that other parts of Ocoee are nice.

Thanks!

[Ocoee Resident]

I just discovered this website tonight and was surprised to see that there was a recent question regarding my neighborhood. There are actually three (3) small, separate subdivisions on the north side of Lake Olympia. The lake itself is small, but it is big enough for water skiing and fishing. There are some houses on Lake Olympia, but many houses do not have lake access or a lake view. There are more architectural variations than in some of the surrounding areas. In other words, the houses do not all look alike. The houses are not on large lots, but the houses do tend to have bigger yards than some of the newer subdivisions. I would guess that most of the houses are between 2000 and 2500 square feet. Most houses have two car garages, but some have three car garages. There is a mix of single story and two story homes.

My wife has told me of burglaries in the neighborhood, but I am unaware of any violent crime against people in the subdivsions. I am quite confident that there is far less crime in the subdivsions than in Pine Hills.

The neighbors are relatively friendly, but it is not an overly social neighborhood. However, I must admit that I have not made an adequate effort to meet my neighbors. People in the subdivsions came together and helped us after the 2004 hurricanes. We have children, and there are certainly other children in the neighborhood, but many homeowners are older and without children The subdivisions are decidedly middle class.

The town of Ocoee itself has suffered as a result of the recent recession. For example, the good, casual Italian restaurant has closed. As is true in many communities, the Blockbuster and the Borders have also closed. The town is primarily a bedroom community without a central commercial district. With the exception of a few restaurants (mostly chains), the primary cultural and entertainment options are in Orlando (theater, an art museum and pro basketball) and in the tourist areas such as the Disney theme parks and the Universal Studios theme parks. The beach is approximately one and one-half hours away.

The commute to downtown Orlando takes about 20 minutes and traffic is light, but the commute involves a toll road. Travel time to the tourist areas is approximately 30 minutes.

Some people from bigger cities find Ocoee small and provincial. Other people from small towns find Orlando and the surrounding communities to be a traffic snarled sprawl. Your conclusion will likely be colored by your previous experiences. I have lived in the neighborhood for a number of years and have been happy here. This post obviously only provides a cursory summary of the subdivisions, but I hope you find it helpful.