Homestead-based developer Onx Homes is planning to bring a unique, distinctive townhouse development to Minneola, if the city makes allowances for the innovative design.
Onx plans to develop a community of 178 fee-simple and rental townhomes at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and Sullivan Road.
The Onx development is the second phase of Lake County’s first mixed-use development utilizing the Live Local Act, a law passed in 2023 to promote more affordable housing. The law codifies zoning flexibility and tax incentives for multifamily developers if they keep at least 40% of the units at below-market rents for 30 years.
Onx specializes in a patented technology called ‘X+ Construction’ that can mold and cast entire structures to build homes in as little as 30 days.
A factory in Homestead builds kitchen and bathroom “pods” — complete, self-contained units that are ready to be installed in a house as is, with plumbing included.
The pieces are then delivered to the construction site, where a streamlined process allows Onx to mold and cast an entire home much quicker than the average construction process.
“It’s building blocks from foundation all the way to the roofing structure,” Onx Homes COO Ravi Bhat said. “We basically build everything in the factory. These are not modular homes, these are not manufactured homes, these are real homes.”
Made of 90% concrete, the homes are also hurricane-resistant and can withstand up to 175 mph winds, useful for Florida’s windy inclement weather events.
“Central Florida’s population growth, combined with increasing climate concerns, makes this region ideal for our innovative housing solutions,” Ash Bhardwaj, CEO of Onx Homes, said in a statement. “We’re committed to delivering communities that offer not just safety and resilience, but also long-term affordability and sustainability for Central Florida families.”
In order to build the community, Onx needs several variances — deviations from the city’s townhome ordinance. The Planning Commission will consider the variance requests on April 29 and make recommendations to Minneola’s City Council in May.
Onx is asking to include buildings with six and eight townhouse units; the ordinance limits the number of units to four per building. And due to the company’s unique construction process, they want to offer some units with flat roofs and rooftop patios.
Eric Raasch, the city’s planning consultant, recommended approval, saying the rooftop patios would offer “residents a unique outdoor amenity with minimal, if any, adverse impacts on the surrounding area.”
Onx also needs city council approval for the modern architectural style. The city code only allows three architectural styles: Spanish/Mediterranean, Florida Cracker and Bermuda/Island Registry.
KPM Franklin filed a justification report on behalf of Onx, saying the “the developer’s sophisticated and contemporary approach delivers an attractive and distinctive option for prospective buyers and will serve as a unique product offering for the City.”
Minimum front setbacks of 10 feet, deviating from the standard minimum of 25 feet, have also been requested to mitigate space taken up by a shared stormwater pond within the development.
The extra space would allow for rear-loaded garages with alley access and provide room for utility easements, stoops accessing the units and landscaping.
“It’s a great area to sell homes, it’s a great area to be in and we’re growing in that corridor,” Bhat said. “I’ve driven there, I’ve seen the communities, I know the requirements for townhomes in that area and that’s why I committed to that project.”
Onx is under contract to buy the 26-acre site from Skorman Development, which sold the first phase of the project to Winter Park developer Hillpointe for its 300-unit apartment community. Now under construction, Pointe Grande Minneola will offer spacious, 2-bedroom floorplans and amenities, such as a resort-style pool with cabanas, a dog park and a clubhouse with a fitness center.
The proposed Onx development would be the builder’s first townhome project in Central Florida. Onx has two other townhome developments in South Florida, On Centro and On Grandeville, both located along U.S. Highway 1 near Homestead.
Onx is currently at work completing On Villa Pass, a community of 200 single-family homes in Mascotte and has another subdivision in the pipeline in Apopka.
Homebuilder with hurricane-resistant, modular technology planning subdivision by Wyld Oaks in Apopka
If the townhome project receives necessary city approval, Bhat said it’ll be months before development reaches its next steps.
“I know it’s not happening in 2025, it’s probably going to be a 2026 project,” he said. “It’s in the pipeline and we’re actively looking at it.”
Have a tip about Central Florida development? Contact me at jwilkins@orlandosentinel.com or 407-754-4980. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.
