Residents wait for GreyHawk Landing's new amenity center

EAST COUNTY — There’s a people-less pool outside the new building that looks enticing for a swim.
The field manager is working inside an office in the new building, as he has for the last 45-plus days, and he raves about how his residents will come here, from east and west, to form one community.

But, because there are no lights installed in the parking lot, the public cannot yet use GreyHawk Landing West’s new pool and amenity center.

At the Aug. 22 GreyHawk Landing Community Development District meeting, staff and board members regretted that its new facility has not followed the original operational timeline, but they reassured residents that the wait would be worth it.

“It’s a slow crawl to October to say this place is ready for business,” said Greg Cox, GreyHawk district manager.

The GreyHawk CDD took control of the new pool and amenity center in July and expected to open it for public use later that month or early August.

Then, things happened.

The weather turned bad.

The person representing the contractor from when the CDD was purchasing the parking lot lights died.

“I know there’s this nice pool sitting there and people are frustrated, but, without lighting, it’s a liability right now,” Cox said.

The CDD is trying to find another contractor from whom to buy lights.

The new center will house $15,000 worth of exercise equipment and will offer residents a kitchen and multi-purpose room, among other features. The new ADA-compliant pool eventually will offer nighttime swimming — but only after the lights are functional.

Other planned improvements include a new photo-identification-card system, a picnic area behind the pool and possible rubber flooring in the gym. After its completion, the new facility will also host the CDD’s board meeting.

John Phillips, GreyHawk’s field manager, ordered furniture for inside the center last week.

Residents of GreyHawk Landing West, which will have about 500 homes once it is built out, and the GreyHawk Landing development both will have access to the new and existing community amenities.

The original GreyHawk Landing clubhouse will be converted into a fitness-and-recreation center, after the new amenity center opens.

“I want this to be a gym where people are proud to come work out here,” Phillips said.

Meanwhile, Ollie Kyte, the CDD chairman, wants the same thing for the people who come to GreyHawk West’s pool and amenity center, whenever that may be.

“People are saying, ‘What are they doing over there?’” Kyte said. “Well, we’re building a community.”

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].