Jose Rodriguez your Venice & Gulf Coast RealtorŪ PalmerHouse Properties Tel. 941-584-7271 Email
Rotonda West is an unincorporated, deed-restricted community situated in west Charlotte County, FL. It is an unusual subdivision, in that it is shaped like an incomplete wagon wheel. A closed, fresh-water canal system surrounds the outside of the "wheel" and travels inside each of the pie-shaped wedges forming the subdivisions of the development. A protected wetland to the south prevents development of that area. Alligators, bald eagles, great blue herons, egrets, and many other birds and animals inhabit the area.
The oldest and most-developed subdivision, Oakland Hills, once sported Ed McMahon as a home owner. In 1973, the inaugural edition of a television special called Superstars, featuring athletes from different sports competing in various events, was filmed in Rotonda. What is now the community center was a bowling alley. A local track was where the track and field events were held.
As conceptualized, each subdivision was supposed to have its own golf course. The theory was the developers could draw residents by offering "a course a day to play." But beleaguered General development Corporation wasn't able to carry through with their promises, and many developers took turns building out the area.
Although the area struggled for a while during the real estate bust period of the 1980s, in 2005 it was one of the hottest areas to build in, with development escalating in nearly all of the sections and several new golf courses.
Many of the homeowners are seasonal snowbirds from northern states and only live in the area part-time during the winter.
