Driving Growth and Regional Access

Also in January, we celebrated the completion of the 429 Expressway to I-4, the final—and much anticipated—link in the 100-mile beltway around metro Orlando. This expressway, which is adjacent to Wyld Oaks, shortens commute times for the new residents who are driving Apopka’s growth and for those who already work for one of the area’s major employers. This is such a pivotal moment for the region that there is a digital book about the people, planning, and pride behind this last stretch of the beltway, which supports the movement of 2.75 million residents and 75 million visitors annually.

Preserving History, Growing the Future

A critical part of the site work involved the preservation of our namesake wild oak trees. What has been a natural hollow formed by a lower elevation on the site and the natural growth of trees over the years, is being revisioned into Yonder: a nature preserve that celebrates the majestic southern live oaks that have lived here for generations.

Housing Boom Continues with Top Builders Choosing Apopka

This area of Apopka continues to be in high demand, with national homebuilders like Pulte, Toll Brothers, and KB Home developing communities that offer more space, value, and connectivity. We welcomed Mattamy Homes to the neighborhood this year, joining Lennar and Ryan Homes, on the west and south sides of Wyld Oaks. The current and future residents of these communities will enjoy a true walkable lifestyle thanks to entertainment, shopping, and dining that are on the horizon.

BARK: Co-creating America’s Top Dog Park

During Pet Appreciation Week at the beginning of June, we launched BARK, an initiative that invited the nation to co-create the ultimate dog park. During the first phase of the initiative, we asked dog parents and lovers to help us dream big and help us create the design and experience. From the 100+ pawsome ideas that we received, LRK, our award-winning design team, developed two concepts for the park that we shared for public feedback in phase two. And now, our team is digging into the details and working to refine the final tail-wagging concept as part of the master plan for Wyld Oaks.

Unveiling and Unleashing Bold Plans at ICSC

At this year’s ICSC@Florida, we premiered a custom tradeshow booth experience and the new development plan that brought the spirit of Wyld Oaks to the Orange County Convention Center. The event kicked off on National Dog Day, making it the perfect opportunity to reveal the two design concepts for BARK and launch the second round of public input for our future dog park.

Celebrating Our Local Community

We strengthened community bonds and forged new connections by sponsoring vibrant events at the Apopka Amphitheater. The Apopka Proud Concert took place in October, and in December, we sponsored another community event where the UCF Symphony Orchestra and the Singing Knights presented Silent Knights: A Jolly Holiday Concert.

Designing and Visualizing the Future

From our new development plan that integrates walkability and nature in spaces like Yonder, Wyld Green, and BARK to dynamic renderings of what’s ahead—including main street retail and restaurants, a health village, Yonder Retail Village, plus residences, offices, and a hotel—the diversity of uses at Wyld Oaks will foster an irresistible and dynamic energy that invites all to be where the future is branching out.

As we head into 2025, there are many more wyld milestones in progress that we’ll be sharing soon. To stay in the know as we grow, be sure to subscribe to the Wyld Side enewsletter and follow us on your preferred social media channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter, and YouTube.