The community
SeaFlower, explained: a coastal village three miles from the Gulf
SeaFlower® is a 1,175-acre master-planned coastal village in west Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida (ZIP 34210), south of Cortez Road West and west of 75th Street West, about three miles from Anna Maria Island.
Lake Flores Land Company is developing it on the former Preston family flower farm. Phase One covers 400 acres with 1,063 homes from five builders, a resident-only amenity campus called The Garden Club, a 2.5-mile golf-cart trail around the 19-acre Lake Flores, and a Publix-anchored Village Center with apartments and a hotel. Full buildout is planned at about 4,000 homes.
Independent buyer’s guide, not the developer’s or any builder’s website. Figures are as published by the builders and developer on the dates noted and must be verified with them before you rely on them. The developer’s official website.
The story behind the name
For nearly 90 years the Preston family grew flowers here, mostly gladiolus, under the Manatee Fruit Company name. When farming stopped being viable in the early 2000s the family began planning something else for the land. Manatee County approved the plan in 2015 under the working name Lake Flores, a nod to Whiting Preston's mother, Flavia Florez Preston. The community was renamed SeaFlower before launch to tie the flower history to its position on the coastal mainland near Sarasota Bay.
The developer is Lake Flores Land Company, led by principal Ed Hill, with LAMB Properties as investment partner. Walter Preston still sits on the community development district board. The Welcome Center at 4505 Flower Fields Trail is itself a Cardel-built home with an 800-square-foot accessory dwelling unit, which tells you a lot about the design intent.
What "coastal village" actually means
SeaFlower is heavily influenced by traditional neighborhood design without being a strict TND. In practice that means narrower streets designed for slower traffic, front porches close to the sidewalk, garages pushed to the rear on alleys for many products, pocket parks within a short walk, and a mixed-use center you can reach by golf cart. Four architectural styles are permitted: Coastal, West Indies, Craftsman and Transitional Farmhouse, in a palette of whites with warm accents.
Every single-family homesite is allowed an accessory dwelling unit, either a garage apartment or a detached casita connected by a breezeway. That is unusual for a Florida master plan and it changes the math for buyers who want a separate suite for guests, an office, or a rental income line.
Master plan and phases
Phase One is 1,063 homes in four sub-phases around Lake Flores. As of April 2026, 784 of those homesites had been released, with 400 lots finished and 384 more under construction through 2026. Phase Two is expected to start around 2027.
| Phase | Product | Lots |
|---|---|---|
| N1 | Row Homes (townhomes, M/I Homes) | 68 |
| N1 | Village Homes (twin villas, M/I Homes) | 90 |
| 1B1 | Bungalow 42' | 66 |
| 1B1 | Bungalow 45' | 32 |
| 1B1 | Cottage 50' | 77 |
| 1B1 | Classic 60' | 46 |
| 1B1 | Estate 80' | 21 |
| 1B2 | Bungalow 45' | 94 |
| 1B2 | Cottage 50' | 54 |
| 1B2 | Classic 60' | 90 |
| 1B2 | Estate 80' | 27 |
| 1C | Bungalow 42' | 85 |
| 1C | Bungalow 45' | 37 |
| 1C | Cottage 50' | 140 |
| 1C | Classic 60' | 136 |
Lot counts from the Lake Flores CDD FY2027 assessment roll. Phase 1C is financed by the Series 2026 bonds, which is why its CDD assessment is higher.
Full buildout: about 4,000 homes, 600 apartments, 250 hotel rooms and 350,000 sq ft of retail and office.
The product ladder
Six home types map to five builders and five lot widths. Prices are as the builders phrase them on September 3, 2026.
Bungalow Homes
42' and 45' lots, rear-load garages
Pulte Homes, David Weekley Homes
From the $400s (Pulte) and the $500s (David Weekley, base plans from $469,990)
Builder detailsCottage Homes
50' lots
Cardel Homes, Pulte Homes
From the $500s (Cardel); Pulte Veranda and Distinctive series from $439,990
Builder detailsClassic Homes
60' lots
Cardel Homes, David Weekley Homes
From the $600s (David Weekley, base plans from $624,990); Cardel mid-$500s to over $680,000
Builder detailsEstate Homes
80' lakefront lots
Issa Homes
Starting from $1,250,000, excluding homesite premium
Builder detailsThe Garden Club, Lake Flores and the trail
The Garden Club is the resident-only amenity campus designed by LRK on the shore of the 25-acre Lake Flores Park. It broke ground July 9, 2025 and is scheduled to open in fall 2026. An Art of Living Director programs the calendar.
Plumeria Hall
Social lounge, demonstration and catering kitchen, conference room for remote work, covered veranda on three sides. Home base for the Art of Living Director who programs the events calendar.
Gathering Hall
Indoor-outdoor event hall for clubs, celebrations and HOA meetings, with catering kitchen and outdoor barbecue area.
Fitness Center
Workout equipment, a virtual fitness studio, a dedicated studio for classes and a lawn for outdoor yoga; a kids' activity center is also listed.
Resort pool and Bath House
Zero-entry pool with lap lanes, sun shelves, covered cabanas, outdoor summer kitchen and spa.
Courts, lawn and play
Four pickleball courts, event lawn and amphitheater with a food-truck area, community fire pit and a children's playground.
Around it: the 19-acre Lake Flores inside the 25-acre Lake Flores Park, the 2.5-mile multi-modal Lake Flores Trail for walking, biking and golf carts, a nature trail through the wetland and upland preserves, two dog parks, pocket parks and a village green. The trail is maintained by the community development district; the Garden Club by the HOA.
SeaFlower Village Center
about 47 acres; roughly 140,000 sq ft of retail, dining and office in phase one (161,500 sq ft total leasable planned), developed by CASTO and Redstone Investments (their third partnership); apartments by Bradenton's NDC Development. Anchored by Publix (about 50,000 sq ft) with a separate Publix Liquors, opening fall 2026. Groundbreaking September 2025; completion targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.
Also planned: 332 to 362 apartments (developer and CASTO figures differ); 120-room hotel in phase one (brand not announced); 250 rooms at buildout. Tenant list as announced by the developer and CASTO; openings are staggered.
Timeline: built, building, coming
- 2015Manatee County approves the Lake Flores plan, including ADU zoning on every single-family lot.
- Jan 2022Lake Flores Community Development District created (Ordinance 22-04).
- May 2024Plans unveiled under the SeaFlower name; Publix announced as the first Village Center tenant in September 2024.
- Jan 28, 2025Preview Center opens at 8114 Cortez Road West.
- Mar 2025Builder plans and prices released; home sales begin in May 2025.
- Jul 9, 2025The Garden Club amenity center breaks ground.
- Sep 2025First residents move in; Village Center (CASTO and Redstone) breaks ground.
- Late Oct 2025Official grand opening; more than 138 homes sold by December.
- Feb 24, 2026CDD issues $20,885,000 Series 2026 bonds for Phase 1C.
- Mar 7, 2026Public model grand opening for new Issa Homes and M/I Homes showcase homes; 200+ homes sold in the first year.
- Apr 10, 2026784 of 1,063 Phase One homesites released; 384 more lots under development through 2026.
- Jul 30, 2026RCLCO ranks SeaFlower tied for 51st best-selling master-planned community in the U.S. with 198 contracts in the first half of 2026.
- Fall 2026The Garden Club and Publix scheduled to open; Village Center completion targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.
- About 2027Phase Two expected to begin, timing dependent on market conditions.
Rules people ask about
Is it gated?
No gates appear on the site plan or in any developer material; streets are being turned over to Manatee County as public roads.
Is there an age restriction?
No. SeaFlower is an all-ages community marketed for every stage of life.
Are golf carts allowed?
The Lake Flores Trail is designed for golf carts and the developer calls the community golf-cart-friendly. Rules for carts on the public streets follow Florida low-speed-vehicle law; confirm with the HOA before you buy a cart.
Can I add or rent an ADU?
Every single-family homesite is permitted to add an accessory dwelling unit (garage apartment or detached casita). To rent an ADU, the owner must occupy the main home for one year first, and leases must be at least six months.
Can I rent the whole house?
Whole-home leasing rules are in the HOA covenants (a third-party blog claims one year of owner occupancy before leasing; not confirmed in official documents). Ask for the CC&Rs before contract.
What about pets?
No published pet rules were found. Two dog parks are planned. Ask for the HOA covenants before contract.
How fast is it selling?
| Date | Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 11, 2025 | 60+ homes sold since sales began in May | developer press release |
| Nov 3, 2025 | 110 sold, about 65 under construction | Pulse of Manatee |
| Dec 10, 2025 | 138+ sold before the grand opening | developer release via BusinessWire |
| Mar 10, 2026 | 200+ sold, 90+ residents | seaflower.com |
| Mar 30, 2026 | 238 sold (79 in 2026), 150+ residents | Bradenton Magazine |
| Jun 1, 2026 | 270+ sold | Bradenton Magazine |
| Jun 30, 2026 | 198 contracts in the first half of 2026 (tied 51st nationally) | RCLCO mid-year report |
Cumulative counts from the developer, local press and RCLCO. Figures are as reported; the developer's and third-party counts do not always reconcile.
Hear it from the person selling the most homes here
I sat down with David Weekley's Tina Seaman, who has sold so many homes in SeaFlower that buyers started calling her the mayor, and asked the questions you would ask.
Sources and verification
- SeaFlower community overview and FAQ (Sep 3, 2026)
- SeaFlower Phase One site plan (PDF, April 2026) (Apr 2026)
- The Garden Club groundbreaking release (Jul 14, 2025)
- CASTO: Village Center groundbreaking (Sep 10, 2025)
- Village Center tenants (Bradenton Herald via seaflower.com) (Sep 22, 2025)
- Strong demand drives expansion (784 of 1,063 lots released) (Apr 10, 2026)
- RCLCO mid-year 2026 rankings (Jul 30, 2026)
- WUSF: ADU rules at SeaFlower (Feb 5, 2026)
- Lake Flores CDD FY2027 proposed budget (May 2026)
- Lake Flores CDD FY2026 adopted budget (2025)
- SeaFlower HOA and CDD information sheet (Dec 8, 2025)
- Pulse of Manatee: residents begin moving in (Nov 3, 2025)
- Business Observer: master-planned community starts blooming (Oct 31, 2025)
Checked September 3, 2026. Builder pages change often; dates show when each source was read.
Talk to a SeaFlower insider
Want to walk it with someone who used to run it?
I will tour SeaFlower with you, model by model, and tell you what the on-site reps cannot: which phase and lot fit your budget, what the true monthly number is, and what to negotiate.