Imagine a city within a city, a place that evokes tradition and the refinement and style of Italy. Yet one that is very much today. That's the vision of the Johnson Group, which is creating the Venetian Bay Town and Country Club in New Smyrna Beach. Venetian Bay will celebrate Italian architecture and life with beautiful homes, a landscape bright with flowers, fountains and shimmering water, and a village center inspired by its beloved Italian counterparts. In Venetian Bay, residents will be able to walk to stores and restaurants, stop for a cup of cappuccino, and enjoy an Old World neighborhood concept, albeit with a contemporary accent. Just as Venice started with the graceful arches and the splendid interior of San Marco, so begins an excursion to Venetian Bay, along a palm-lined, curving path, marked by waterfalls and a colonnade of arches. One can immediately sense the harmony between these two sun-drenched retreats, one with its ancient piazza, the other with a pedestrian-friendly town center on the horizon. Just a short time ago, 200 head of cattle, now grazing in a new pasture, roamed these fields. Soon, the 1,200 acre property, which stretches between Pioneer Trail and S.R. 44, will be home to a different kind of resident, as the first houses begin to rise.
One cannot imagine Italy without its brick-paved streets, or its living history preserved in marble and metal and tile, enduring over centuries. And so, Venetian Bay echoes the lasting beauty of these materials, in a romantic way, with tiles and mosaics and other fine materials, overlaid with practical refinements.  This month, model homes are going up, and a grand opening is scheduled for early April, says Jerry Johnson, president of the Johnson Group. Twenty home sites in the gated Tuscany section have already been sold, and a roster of eminent designers have put together all the elements one could wish for in a home: Always, there's L'atrio, a graceful foyer. And La Cucina, designed for preparing and enjoying wonderful meals. And in every home, an outstanding Camera da Letto, a master suite of true elegance. And lastly, the Terrazo, for al fresco dining and a place to uncork a bottle of Chianti with new neighbors and friends.
Eventually, Venetian Bay will offer a full range of housing. Whatever the price or the style, whether a single family home, townhome, condominium of apartment, the watchword is this: Eleganze!
 Elegance and superior construction are hallmarks of The Johnson Group, which has established a tradition of fine design and value in such communities as Turnbull Bay in New Smyrna Beach; Town Park and Sabal Creek in Port Orange; Pelican Bay in Daytona Beach; and Ormond Lakes, Plantation Bay and Tymber Crossings in Ormond Beach. "We pride ourselves on construction that exceeds code, our safe room technology, and our 15-year warranty," says Johnson.
From lively, nature-loving Italy, Venetian Bay takes its inspiration in offering a full complement of planned recreational facilities, including 265 acres of nature preserve, and an eventual 18-hole championship golf course - the ultimate sign of La Dolce Vita.
In time, the community will have 1,800 homes, with 200 to 300 new homes being built each year. Already, residents in the Orlando area are showing interest, Johnson says. "The friendliness of New Smyrna Beach, its historic downtown and its location on the Indian River are without equal." In Venetian Bay, La Tradizione of beauty continues. |
