LUXURIOUS TOWNHOUSE IN PRESTIGIOUS GATED COMMUNITY

Located on a quiet preserve in one of Tampa’s most prestigious gated communities, this luxurious 3 bedroom, 2 ½ bath townhouse offers the features one could expect in a Waterchase home: crown molding, 9 ½ foot ceilings, diagonal tiling in foyer and kitchen, Corian counters in kitchen and baths, 42 inch cabinets, Brazilian walnut flooring, walk-in closet, zoned A/C, structured cabling with pre-wired stereo, central vacuum, security system, and many other extras. Delightful floor plan combines kitchen and living-dining area, also provides a den and laundry room. Screened lanai, kitchen nook, living room and master bedroom balcony look into the preserve. Association fee includes generous TV package, lawn and landscape maintenance and watering, maintenance of building roof and exterior, manned security gate and roving security cruiser, as well as all community amenities that comprise a spacious clubhouse with fitness center, lighted tennis courts, basketball court, sports field, two pools, a two-story waterslide, and playground. Organized weekly activities offer email notices to all residents wishing to participate. Elementary and middle schools are a few minutes’ drive from the gate. Golfing at the adjacent Eagles Golf Club 36 hole course. Thoroughbred racing minutes from gate. Enjoy resort living in a friendly community conveniently located for access to downtown Tampa as well as the gulf beaches and other attractions of the Tampa Bay area. Come and see for yourself! 

The Tampa Bay area offers something for everyone. If you like colorful, boisterous celebrations, you shouldn’t miss the Gasparilla Pirate Fest. In this annual re-enacting of the invasion of the city by the legendary pirate Joseph Gaspar, the city is taken over after being subdued by volleys of cannon fire from the world’s only fully-rigged pirate ship, the Jose Gasparilla. A flotilla of pleasure craft that assemble to defend the city finally accept the futility of their plight and join the pirate ship in its sail up Hillsborough Bay to downtown Tampa, where the Mayor surrenders the Key to the City to the pirate crew. Then follows the victory celebration parade on Bayshore Boulevard, with the pirates throwing beads and trinkets to a joyous crowd along the parade route, and the entertainment and festivities continue well into the night. The usual activities of the entire city come to a halt for this event that attracts about a half-million spectators each year. “Tampa’s Latin Quarter,” Ybor City, is located east of Tampa. Founded in 1885, Ybor City was once the “Cigar Capital of the World” when the industry moved there from Cuba because of political turmoil in that country. Immigrants from Spain, Cuba, and Italy were attracted by the employment opportunities, and although the industry has faded from the importance it once held, Ybor City has retained its Latin flavor, offering the aroma of roasting Cuban coffee, the rhythms of Latin music, a variety of ethnic cuisine, and shopping that reflects the city’s diverse heritage. At night, the pubs, patio bars and night clubs come to life with music and entertainment that makes Ybor one of the area’s top-ranked nightspots. Despite its lighter side, the neighborhood has been designated as a National Historic Landmark, and includes locations listed in the National Register of Historic Places. 

Some miles west of Tampa is Tarpon Springs, also founded in the late 19th century when it became a major center for the harvesting of sponges that grew in nearby waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This industry attracted many sponge divers, mostly from the Greek Dodecanese Islands, resulting in the largest concentration of Greek Americans in the United States. Though the sponge industry was essentially wiped out when red tide algae destroyed the sponge fields in 1947, the town converted much of the sponge-related facilities into tourist attractions, and thus the waterfront sponge warehouses and auction area have become unique shops, restaurants, and museums that pay tribute to its earlier history. Of course, in the restaurants, seafood dishes are abundant as well as traditional Greek fare. In the town, a few blocks from the Sponge Docks, Epiphany, a Greek Orthodox service celebrating the day Jesus was baptized, takes place each year on January 6th, attracting people from across the country. It is the largest Greek Epiphany celebration in North America, and the population of Tarpon Springs is known to triple in size on that day. As part of the celebration, a wooden cross is thrown into Spring Bayou by the Archbishop and 40 to 50 young men dive in to retrieve it. The one who recovers the cross is blessed by the Archbishop, the blessing said to endure for a full year. After the blessing, the celebration moves to the Sponge Docks, where the festivities include food and music. 

For live entetainment, the Tampa Performing Arts Center and Ruth Eckerd Hall in nearby Clearwater present world-class performers and artists. The area’s many museums offer a variety of themes: science, history, fine art, Holocaust, automobiles, and dinosaurs, to name a few. 

Any sports fan knows of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and that Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium hosted Super Bowl XLIII. And then we have the Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay Lightning. Spring training for the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and the Toronto Blue Jays is held in the Tampa Bay area. For the sports fisherman, deep-water excursions are available. Golfers have their choice of a multitude of highly rated courses. Gamblers can enjoy daily thoroughbred racing at Tampa Bay Downs during the season and poker year round in The Silks Poker Room, or practice their swing at the adjacent Downs Golf Practice Facility. If fun in the sun is on your list, the area’s 35 miles of white-sand beaches located on 8 major barrier islands include Caladesi Beach, rated America’s No. 1 beach in 2008 and Fort De Soto Park, America’s No.1 beach in 2005. Adventure for the family can be found at Tampa’s Busch Gardens Africa, and Walt Disney World Resort, Sea World, and Universal Studios are just 90 minutes away in Orlando.  

Where else could you find such an exciting place to make your home?