WESTLAKE — National chains are discovering Palm Beach County's newest city.
Westlake this year will welcome its first Starbucks, Taco Bell and Orange Theory Fitness. Also in line in the months ahead are Planet Fitness and a Tractor Supply store.
John Carter, the senior vice president of Minto Communities, says the rapid growth of the city the developer has built off Seminole Pratt Whitney Road has garnered the attention of national corporations. What five years ago were tracts of undeveloped land are now a community that 7,000 people call home.
"The low-hanging fruit has finally been picked," Carter said. "The concept has been proven. There's unmet needs, and this is a vibrant community that these large corporations want to come and invest in."
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Carter says Westlake's "secret sauce" includes fast residential construction, offering a variety of price options and bringing commercial developments to the bedroom community. That combination has set the city apart from being "just another South Florida subdivision" and is now attracting of national brands.
Over the last five years, Westlake has unveiled essential businesses its residents need: two 7-Elevens with gas stations, a walk-in emergency room and a Publix supermarket. Now that thousands of residents have arrived, Carter said, Westlake needs companies to build out the rest of the city.
Carter said he underestimated the economic impact that COVID-19 would have on large and medium-sized businesses to invest in the construction of buildings and retail spaces. But he said he is optimistic that is changing, given the interest of companies in having a presence in western Palm Beach County's growing communities.
A crucial concept in Westlake's design is creating a downtown for western Palm Beach County, Carter said.
County planners told Carter there is a severe lack of employment and retail options in the county's western suburbs because the area is mostly single-family homes. In turn, residents drive half an hour east to work, shop and dine.
"Driving around Boca, Palm Beach Gardens or West Palm Beach you see office buildings, shopping centers, bookstores and residential communities all blended together," Carter said. "That doesn't exist in the area in west and central Palm Beach County."
Carter's vision is for Westlake to develop into a denser pocket that offers residences, retail and entertainment options "so that we could create this as a true live, work and play fabric for the community. Not only for us but those that surround us."
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Starbucks, Taco Bell, Orange Theory coming to Westlake Landings
Westlake's first fast-casual restaurants, gym and dry cleaner will be built at Westlake Landings, a commercial plaza on the southwest corner of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road and Persimmon Boulevard.
The Starbucks and the Habit Burger are expected to serve their first customers in September. A 7-Eleven gas station and a 120,00 square-foot Life Storage Facility have already opened in the plaza.
Other retailers and restaurants in line to come to Westlake Landings include:
- Fast-food restaurants Taco Bell and KFC, whose opening dates are not yet available.
- The fast-casual restaurant chain 3 Natives, which is based in Tequesta and has a location in Wellington.
- Orange Theory Fitness, which also has locations in Royal Palm Beach and Wellington.
- Go Green Cleaners, which has outlets in Jupiter and West Palm Beach.
- Heartland Dental, which has had several other practices in the western communities.
- Tractor Supply, whose application is pending approval from Westlake.
Offices, warehouses, medical buildings in planning stages for Westlake
Four commercial projects also will bring office spaces, shops and retailers to the city.
James Business Park: Jamlyn Supply, a national e-commerce retailer, is building a two-story, 145,000 square-foot facility for offices and warehouse space on Persimmon Boulevard. The company relocated its headquarters to Westlake from West Palm Beach and expects to open by the end of this year, bringing a total of 40 jobs.
Publix Supermarkets Plaza Phase 2: A month ago, Publix broke ground on a second 70,000-square-foot strip mall, next to its existing store and plaza. It will feature seven bays for stores and restaurants and will be anchored by a Planet Fitness gym.
Westlake Commerce Center: Fort Lauderdale-based Mitchell Property Realty and Ridgeline Property Group bought 17.5 acres next to Westlake Landings with the intent of building a 227,000-square-foot complex there for offices, distribution and warehouses.
Wellington Regional Medical Plaza: Universal Health Services, the parent company of Wellington Regional Medical Center, purchased 35 acres surrounding their Westlake ER with the intent of building a medical campus.
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Over 3,000 of Westlake's original plan of 4,500 homes built; more are coming
Since 2017, Westlake has unveiled over 3,000 homes. The initial plan was to build 4,500 residences but given the demand, Carter expects that number to grow to 6,500.
Minto Communities has constructed on average 400 to 500 homes every year and the city accounts for one-third of the residential building permits in Palm Beach County.
New residential projects built in Westlake include:
- The Woodlands: A neighborhood of 164 homes and luxury estates along Towncenter Parkway.
- Crestwood: A 55-plus community on Siesta Key Lane, off Persimmon Boulevard.
- The Terraces: 109 townhomes starting in the mid $300,000s along Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.
- The Pines: 446 single-family homes located off Town Center Parkway.
Valentina Palm covers Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Greenacres, Palm Springs and other western communities in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. Email her atvpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism:Subscribe today.
