BellalagoSM residents coexist with flora and fauna
April 08, 2009
KISSIMMEE, FLA --- Occupants of Bellalago'sSM first "stick-built" homes don't drive automobiles. They fly and perch majestically in the treetops that house their aeries.They are the American bald eagles, our nation's symbol and residents of three eagle nest preserves carefully set aside in this residential community being developed by Avatar® Properties Inc. alongside Lake Tohopekaliga (Toho) in Kissimmee.
"The natural environment is and always will be a vital part of the fabric and appeal of BellalagoSM," said Tony Iorio, vice president of development for Avatar®, longtime champion of balancing growth and nature with community development.
"Our planning team worked closely with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Earth Balance, and Austin Environmental Consultants to help preserve these habitats and make them an important part of the community's natural ecosystem," Iorio explained.
"Residents enjoy knowing they will be able to comfortably coexist with the community's colorful flora and fauna," he said.
"It's one of the things that make BellalagoSM so appealing."
The three eagle pairs living at BellalagoSM have fledged as many as five chicks in a single year since 2000 and are among the more than 125 active pairs of adults living in Osceola County which has one of the state’s highest bald eagle populations.
A 2007 study by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission listed 1,100 active eagle nests in Florida, 35 of them just in the BellalagoSM/Lake Toho area. Lake Toho and surrounding rural areas are favorites of nesting bald eagles that typically nest in live pine or cypress trees within a quarter mile of a lake or open water.
With over one mile of shoreline on Lake Toho and over 300 acres of inland lakes and waterways, the eagles feel right at home in BellalagoSM.
The 1,330-acre award-winning master-planned community features seven of 15 planned neighborhoods of upscale, Mediterranean-style homes, many overlooking the community's inland lakes and waterways.
Bellalago'sSM activities are centered around Club Vialago, a multi-million-dollar amenity complex that features a 4,500 sq. ft. lifestyle center, 6,500 sq. ft. state-of-the-art fitness center with cardio and strength-training equipment, and a multi-pool aquatic center comprised of a free-form pool with water slide, junior Olympic-sized pool, heated spa, children's water park, and the poolside Sunset Terrace grille and pavilion where residents can enjoy a limited menu of freshly prepared dinners currently served three days a week.
Other Club Vialago amenities include tennis and volleyball courts, a children's playground, a lakeside band shell, a multi-million-dollar boar ramp and lift on an inlet to Lake Toho, a boathouse, and a 1,300-foot-long boardwalk with gazebo on Lake Toho that affords residents a prefect venue for bass fishing or simply enjoying the scenic lake views.
Children of BellalagoSM residents attend Bellalago Academy, a unique K-8 charter school that earned an A grade for the 2007-2008 school year from the Florida Department of Education, and Liberty High School. For neighborhood shopping there is the new Village Shops at Bellalago, anchored by a Publix supermarket with drive-thru pharmacy, as well as retail shops, banks and several restaurants.
Winner of over 30 design and marketing awards, including two Best Master Planned Community honors in 2004, BellalagoSM is located on Pleasant Hill Road, five miles south of Highway 17-92. Homes are priced from the low $200s to the $400s.
To learn more, call 866 372-3055 or (800) 249-9045, or log onto MyBellalago.com or AvatarHomes.com.
