Sarasota vs. Bradenton vs. Lakewood ranch

[Luby162]

Just likes to hear himself talk....

[jetdoc3037]

Originally Posted by Luby162

Just likes to hear himself talk....

haha, for sure a half cup empty dude.

[theurbanfiles]

It's somewhat that way on the Main Street, but still feels a bit more like a mall/suburb/type area, unless a bunch of places that I'm not aware of have been added in the past couple months. And that's not a knock on the area as a whole just my impression. What area is exactly being considered as LWR? I know they were talking about becoming a separate community entirely, which I personally think would be a mistake on their part, but IDK. The northern section of LWR Blvd. is almost unanimously chains (around 220), 217 is somewhat of a mix though it doesn't look like a ton of established places. IDK if UTC area is being considered a part of LWR, it certainly feels LWRish moreso than like Sarasota or Bradenton, and with the exception of the excellent Tandoor is almost exclusively chains. Now, LWR Main Street itself has a main strip that thankfully, while it has chains, hasn't been taken over by them. I enjoyed Pinchers, Main Street Trattoria and Big Olaf Creamery pretty well. Still though as a whole, while LWR has mom/pop's, even Main Street doesn't completely provide a "downtown, urban, effect" quite yet, though I guess it is hard for even the best new urbanist designs to replicate that entirely if they are surrounded by suburban developments. LWR as a whole has good schools and is safe, and it has mom/pops, however, I would still maintain that Bradenton and Sarasota seem to maintain much more of a unique feel/independent business culture, at least within their near urban sections which are larger overall.

Orlando btw is very much that way on the tourist corridor/I Drive side, but Orlando's downtown and near DT Bungalow neighborhoods really have unique and amazing feels, and Winter Garden, Mount Dora, Clermont, etc. have a uniquely almost New England style feel that is hard to find most other areas.

[dpbarr2000]

People who buy in LWR are repeating the same mistakes of what they left up north. Continuous new construction further away from amenities, widening roads, increased traffic, then higher taxes and CDD fees to pay for the infrastructure, a bubble forms and then those 3 and 4 year old resales sit on the market.