New Town of Ave Maria to have Active-Adult Community

Nestled on what was once considered rural farmland some 30 miles from the coastal town of Naples, Florida, is the brand new town of Ave Maria.  This new South Florida town will be the home of the Ave Maria Catholic University, the first Catholic University to be built in the United States in the past 30-plus years.

The Town of Ave Maria will be about 5,000 acres in size, with one-fifth of its acreage devoted to the new university campus.   Upon completion of the town, there will be some 11,000 residential homes with an expected population of around 30,000.

About seventy percent of the homes being built in the new Town of Ave Maria will be built by Pulte, including an active-adult community by Del Webb, a division of Pulte.  Future plans also include an continuing care retirement community, but the expected date for that facility has not yet been announced.

A reserve of about 45% of the total town area will be devoted to open space and lakes.  Surrounded by natural habitats, Ave Maria will feature over 100 miles of walking and nature trails.  The town will have public schools as well as a K-12 parochial school connected with the University. 

Successful businessman, Tom Monaghan, 69 years young, best known as the founder of Domino’s Pizza and owner of the Detroit Tigers, is the man behind this visionary town.   Having been raised in a Catholic orphanage, Mr. Monaghan attributes his faith for the successes of his life. 

Monaghan expects that the new Ave Maria University will not only provide an excellent education but an environment conducive to Catholic teachings.  In a recent interview, he said, “When I was at Dominos, we had a 30-minute guarantee.  “I’ve heard that 75 percent of Catholic kids stop going to Mass on Sunday when they leave home,” he continued, “…parents, grandparents, if you send your children to Ave Maria, I’ll guarantee they go to Mass on Sunday.” 

After five years of planning and negotiations, the first residents and students of Ave Maria will begin to move into their new residences by the end of this summer.   During the months of February and March, 2007, on-site trolley tours are available every Saturday and Sunday.  Reservations are necessary and can be made by calling 1.888.250.4636.