For 50-plus years, the land west of 75th Street West in Bradenton bloomed every winter with gladiolus; it was one of Florida’s largest gladiolus flower farms. Today those fields are becoming the biggest master-planned community west Bradenton has seen in a generation, about three miles from the beaches of Anna Maria Island. Here is our 2026 guide to SeaFlower, Bradenton’s new coastal village: what’s built, what’s coming, and whether it fits your search.
The short version: SeaFlower is a 1,175-acre master-planned “coastal village” in west Bradenton, about three miles from Anna Maria Island. Five builders (Pulte, David Weekley, M/I Homes, Cardel, and Issa Homes) are selling homes from the high $300s, organized around the 19-acre Lake Flores and a Publix-anchored village center opening in late 2026.
From Flower Farm to Coastal Village: The Backstory
SeaFlower’s story is a good one, and it explains the name. The property belongs to the family of fourth-generation farmer Whiting Preston, whose land operated as a gladiolus farm for more than half a century until a fungal disease in the early 2000s ended flower farming there, as Sarasota Magazine chronicled in June 2024. Rather than sell off to the highest bidder, the family pursued a long-range master plan (Manatee County approved it in 2015) under the Lake Flores Land Company, led by principal Ed Hill, with LAMB Properties. Even the centerpiece lake carries family history: Lake Flores honors Flavia Florez Preston.
Why does the backstory matter to a buyer? Because west Bradenton is largely built out. Land at this scale, this close to the Gulf, essentially doesn’t come on the market, which is why SeaFlower is the first master-planned community of its size in west Bradenton in a generation. And demand for master-planned living in this part of Florida is not hypothetical: RCLCO’s mid-year 2026 data put three Florida communities (Lakewood Ranch, Wellen Park, and Babcock Ranch) among the country’s four top-selling master-planned communities.
Where Is SeaFlower in Bradenton, and Why Is the Location the Headline?
SeaFlower occupies 1,175 acres in west Bradenton’s 34210 ZIP code, west of 75th Street West and south of Cortez Road West, with the Welcome Center at 4505 Flower Fields Trail. From here it’s roughly three miles to the Anna Maria Island beaches, close enough for a spontaneous sunset run down Cortez Road. The community sits adjacent to IMG Academy’s 600-acre campus, is near HCA Blake Hospital, and has direct routes to downtown Bradenton, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Tampa.
Most new construction on the Gulf Coast asks you to trade beach proximity for a new home. Buyers shopping the big master-planned communities up in Parrish, for example, accept a 35 to 45 minute drive to the Gulf beaches, and longer in season. SeaFlower is one of the few places where you don’t have to make that trade, a point we make often in our guide for buyers relocating to Tampa Bay or Florida’s Gulf Coast.
The Plan: Lake Flores, Phase One, and the First Residents
At full buildout, SeaFlower is planned for roughly 4,000 residential units. Phase One includes 1,700 residences, 250 hotel rooms, and 350,000 square feet of office and retail, organized around the 19-acre man-made Lake Flores and a 2.5-mile trail, per Business Observer’s October 2025 reporting and the official SeaFlower master plan.
One clarification we find ourselves making a lot: Lake Flores is a lake, not a lagoon. SeaFlower is not a crystal-lagoon community like Seaire up in Parrish, where a 4.5-acre developer-built lagoon is the centerpiece amenity. This is a classic lakefront village plan with parks and trails wrapped around real water.
The timeline is moving quickly. The welcome center and models opened in spring 2025, the first residents moved in over summer and fall 2025, and the community has already expanded by 384 additional lots as of 2026.
Five Builders, and What Homes Cost in 2026
SeaFlower has five builders: Pulte, David Weekley, M/I Homes, Cardel Homes, and Issa Homes. That’s a genuinely useful spread, because you can compare floor plans and build quality across builders without leaving the community. As of 2026, per builder pricing pages:
- M/I Homes townhomes: from $399,999
- M/I Homes villas: from $429,999
- David Weekley Bungalow series: from $459,990
- David Weekley Classic series: from $624,990
- Pulte single-family homes: additional single-family options; pricing varies by plan
As always with new construction, base prices move and builder incentives change monthly. Figures are accurate as of this writing, and we’re glad to pull current pricing and lot premiums for any builder here. If you’re weighing a build against an existing home closer to the island, our comparison of new construction versus resale in 2026 covers the tradeoffs.
Amenities: The Garden Club and the Outdoors
The resident hub is The Garden Club, a nod to the flower-farm heritage, with Plumeria Hall for events, a resort-style pool, fitness center, and event lawn. Beyond it, the amenity map includes Lake Flores Park and the 2.5-mile trail, pickleball courts, a dog park, playgrounds, pocket parks, and golf-cart paths threading the village together.
The Village Center: Publix, Dutch Bros, and a Q4 2026 Opening
Here’s the piece that separates SeaFlower from most new communities, which make you wait a decade for retail. The SeaFlower Village Center, developed by CASTO and Redstone Investments, broke ground September 15, 2025 on roughly 47 acres. Phase 1 spans approximately 140,000 to 161,500 square feet of retail, dining, and office space, plus 362 apartments and 120 hotel rooms, anchored by a Publix and Publix Liquor, per CASTO’s announcement. Signed tenants already include Dutch Bros, Whataburger, Playa Bowls, Potbelly, Club Pilates, and Pecan Jacks, with opening slated for Q4 2026. In other words, buyers moving in this year should be able to walk or cart to groceries within roughly a year of unpacking.
The Honest Notes
SeaFlower is early. Buying in 2026 means living alongside active construction for several years as Phase One and beyond build out. The Village Center, while under construction with a stated Q4 2026 opening, isn’t open as of this writing, so near-term shopping means the Cortez Road and Manatee Avenue corridors. Also, being three miles from the island is wonderful, but this is not waterfront-on-the-Gulf living; if boat docks and open water are the actual goal, read our guide to buying a waterfront home on the Gulf Coast before deciding. And as with most master-planned communities, budget for HOA dues and confirm all fees and assessments for the specific builder and lot.
Come See the Flower Fields’ Second Act
There are only so many chances to buy into a brand-new coastal village three miles from Anna Maria Island; west Bradenton simply doesn’t have more land like this. Want to tour SeaFlower? We’ll set up a day of showings across all five builders, walk the Garden Club and Lake Flores together, and tell you plainly what’s real today and what’s still on the renderings. Where Every Move Matters.
MJM Group | Coldwell Banker Realty · mjmgroup@cbrealty.com · (239) 994-2804 · (813) 833-3073
Pricing and construction timelines referenced are believed accurate as of publication but change frequently; we’re happy to verify current details for your search.
Ready to see it? Visit our SeaFlower community page for builder pricing, collections and touring with our team.
