By Jim Carchidi
April 13, 2026
Central Florida’s master-planned communities offer golf, active living amenities, even private airstrips. But The Grow is centered around food production, nutrition, and healthy lifestyles.
Growing interest
A ceremonial crop planting during an April 3 groundbreaking event is one of the many unique aspects of The Grow.
The 1,200-acre mixed-use development by Pulte Homes is currently under way in northeast Orange County, just north of S. Tanner Road and E. Colonial Drive. The “agrihood” will utilize a nine-acre working farm designed in partnership with community farm design firm, Agmenity, and run by Nicole Bluh, aka Farmer Nicole, the community's farm manager and educator.
The variety of crops will include:
- Baby greens
- Leafy greens
- Root vegetables
- Vegetables
- Herbs & flowers
Additionally, more than 20 acres of community gardens and pocket farms will be featured along with parks and 12 miles of trails.
“The main working farm is located at the front of the community with pocket farms spread throughout,” said Pulte Group Vice President of Sales Blake Lapinsky. “While most farming operations will be handled by Agmenity and Farmer Nicole, there will be community gardens that provide the opportunity for residents to cultivate their own small garden plots.”
Growing space
The many residential options include single-family homes featuring a variety three-, four-, and five-bedroom floor plans.
The residential component will cover more than 2,000 units and include townhomes, bungalows, and single-family designs starting at $400,000. According to Lapinsky, construction on the first homes will start soon with completion expected during the summer. The first closings are expected during the fourth quarter.
“We are currently working through our VIP Pre-Sale process, which is by appointment only,” Lapinsky told The Orlando Real. “Those buyers will be our first closings, building from the ground up.” Builds take between six and eight months and walk-in opportunities are expected to open in early summer. “We will have a few inventory lots through our townhome and bungalow products, aiming to close in Q4 as well.”
Growing business
More than 165,000 square feet of commercial space is also planned, starting with an event street at the front of the community for festivals and farmers’ markets.
A main street district will house cafés and restaurants, including farm-to-table concepts, and storefronts occupied by locally-owned shops and national brands. Office space for startups and established businesses will also be available.
The entire concept - residential, commercial, and agriculture - will be constructed in phases and is expected to take about six years to fully complete.
For more information, log onto lifeatthegrow.com.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
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