Davis Development is eyeing vacant land along the future Westwood Boulevard extension for new apartments

Atlanta-based multifamily developer Davis Development is eyeing nearly 27 acres of land along the future Westwood Boulevard in Orlando’s tourism corridor for its next new apartment community.

Gray Schaufler, director of land acquisitions, recently submitted a zoning verification letter in Orange County inquiring about the property that’s currently owned by a subsidiary of Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation.

A Preliminary Review Item request in Orange County shows the current owning entity, SVO Vistana Villages Inc., is seeking allowances to amend previously approved plans in order to build up to 600 multifamily units.

The property is part of the larger Benson Planned Development, which spans about 90 acres and includes the Sheraton Vistana Villages resort.

Under its previous ownership, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., intended to utilize the 27 acres for the third phase of the timeshare community, but a series of mergers between competing vacation companies ultimately gave Marriott Vacations control of the site and development plans fell through.

The entire PD allows for up to 250,000 square feet of commercial space, 100 hotel rooms, 450,000 square feet of office space, 1,800 timeshare units and 400 multifamily units.

Stantec Consulting Services, which often works with Davis Development, is the civil engineer. The two companies are currently working together to develop a 175-unit apartment complex in Manatee County.

Representatives at Davis Development were not immediately available to comment.

The property is located on the southeast corner of Wildwood Avenue and the future Westwood Boulevard extension.

Adjacent to the property, Charlotte-based developer Crosland Southeast is looking to develop a seven-building multifamily community with up to 350 units. The land spans about 14.5 acres along Vistana Palm Beach Drive.

As previously reported by GrowthSpotter, the Westwood Boulevard extension is expected to activate 250 acres of new development projects.

A conglomerate of investors who own nearly 600 acres of land immediately east of where Crosland is looking to build its multifamily community are working together to prep more than 250 acres of land for future development.

Not too far away north of the site, Marriott Vacations is under contract to sell about 18 acres of residual land to multifamily developer Crescent Communities.

The land has been owned by Marriott Vacations Worldwide for more than two decades. It’s part of a nearly 80-acre development site called Interstate 4 Plaza.

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