GL HOMES SMART PLANNING EQUALS SUCCESS
Throughout its 50-year history as one of South Florida’s top homebuilders, GL Homes has built dozens of master-planned communities that exemplify smart development. By incorporating elements like pedestrian-friendly greenways, wildlife corridors, littoral planting systems, and lush landscaped buffers, GL Homes has set a standard that balances the needs of our home buyers with those of the environment. This approach resonates with our clients. Over 100,000 people are living in a GL home across the state of Florida.
Recognizing that each site is unique, shaped by its location, landscape, and past use, GL Homes goes to great lengths to understand the land’s history and environmental context. This approach ensures that every community is thoughtfully designed to harmonize with its surroundings.
Responsible Land Development in Action
When building a new community, GL Homes goes above and beyond standard land development practices wherever possible.
We conduct comprehensive studies of the land's history to ensure an understanding of its cultural, ecological, and geological significance. Advanced soil testing and geo-investigation techniques are employed to assess the land’s capacity and stability, ensuring the greatest possible outcome through sustainable construction practices.
Water management strategies prioritize conservation, stormwater control, and the protection of local waterways, while wildlife management plans are designed to preserve and enhance natural habitats.
Together, these practices form the foundation of GL Homes' smart planning initiatives.
Environmental Stewardship
GL Homes continues to demonstrate that development and sustainability can coexist, resulting in vibrant communities that respect and enhance their natural surroundings. A great example of our dedication to environmental stewardship is the design of our Riverland community in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Smart Planning
A smart community site plan considers every aspect of a property’s surroundings. Our Valencia Trails community in Naples, Florida exemplifies a planning approach that emphasizes vibrant, livable spaces with thoughtful integration of public areas and sustainable infrastructure.
Wildlife Habitats
As part of GL Homes' sustainable planning, the company collaborates with environmental experts to preserve natural habitats, manage stormwater effectively, and conserve native vegetation. We tailor these efforts to the unique conditions and environmental characteristics of each site. The rookeries in our Valencia Grand neighborhood in Boynton Beach, Florida, are shining examples of our commitment to enhancing wildlife habitats.
Successful Public / Private Partnerships
Since 1976, GL Homes has focused on building strong relationships with local and state governments. We believe that these partnerships are essential for delivering critical infrastructure projects that support community growth.
Building Roads
Collaborating on public roadway projects involves coordinated efforts that can include acquiring necessary rights-of-way, securing funding, engineering design, and construction. Our partnerships ensure that projects are not only completed efficiently but also align with regional transportation goals and community needs.
Over the years, these collaborative efforts have led to the successful completion of numerous roadway improvements across many Florida Counties, including Broward, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Hillsboro, Pasco, Lee, and Collier. Our roadway projects range from small-scale neighborhood enhancements to major infrastructure expansions.
Donating Land
A big part of community growth is making sure that critical civic needs are met. GL Homes frequently donates land for public facilities such as schools, parks, libraries, fire and police stations, and civic centers. These partnerships take on many forms and can involve dedicating a portion of a development site, providing financial contributions, or assembling larger parcels to meet specific needs. The 32,000-square-foot west of Boynton, Canyon Branch Library in Boynton Beach, Florida, opened in January 2025 on land donated by GL Homes.
Workforce Housing
Over the last several years, GL Homes has contributed millions to workforce housing to address voids in the areas where we work. This effort has resulted in the completion of over 140 homes for deserving families. In addition, we built affordable housing projects, including In The Pines in Boynton Beach and Davis Landing in West Palm Beach. By meeting these housing needs, GL Homes demonstrates its commitment to balanced growth and long-term community stability.
Incorporating Sustainability Where We Can
GL Homes recognizes the importance of integrating environmental stewardship into our development projects when it is possible to make a meaningful impact.
Tree Preservation & Relocation
If there are trees on a project site that can be preserved or relocated, GL Homes makes it a priority to do so. This delicate practice leverages in-house capabilities that few developers possess. In some communities, we have been able to carefully preserve and relocate significant mature trees.
Our Lotus Palm community in Boca Raton, Florida, was previously a golf course. During the land development process, we relocated large, mature trees on the property to create inviting spaces where residents could gather, fostering a greater sense of community. Tree preservation and relocation are key examples of how GL Homes' sustainable planning helps protect the environment.
On another golf course redevelopment site, Polo Trace in Delray Beach, Florida, we constructed two large community parks complete with waterways, relocated trees, and littoral plantings. We incorporated existing trees, lakes, and water plantings that helped these neighborhood parks become an excellent example of GL Homes' sustainable planning efforts.
Creating and Managing Wildlife Habitats
GL Homes often encounters opportunities to develop or restore wildlife preserves while we are in the planning stages of a community. When we can make this happen, it ensures a harmonious balance between development and nature. In our Valencia Grand neighborhood, we were able to incorporate Rookery Islands. These natural areas are designed to attract and protect the bird population and nesting sanctuaries.
In our Valencia Trails property in Naples, Florida, we created an underground connection between a 64-acre wildlife preserve to an adjacent preservation area. This corridor connection that GL preserved enables safe movement for wildlife through natural habitats.
Strategic Landscape Design
GL Homes is famous for our lush landscape buffers and beautiful streetscapes. As part of GL Homes' sustainable planning efforts, our communities feature generous landscaping that reduces pollution, conserves resources, and supports biodiversity, while providing habitats for wildlife, attracting pollinators, and reducing noise and light pollution.
We are further committed to emphasizing water conservation and sustainability by incorporating advanced irrigation systems, aquatic ecosystem plantings in lakes, and utilizing eco-friendly fertilizers. Perimeter landscape berms are utilized to creatively enhance privacy and manage excess soil. GL Homes' smart planning results in community landscape plans that consistently exceed local and state requirements.
Advanced Water Management
GL Homes’ neighborhoods feature advanced water delivery systems with conservation elements such as flow meters and rain sensors. GL Homes also uses hydrozoning, which involves grouping plants with similar water needs to save water. Littoral Plantings are common along our community waterways. These strategic plantings around lakes serve a dual purpose: improving water quality and providing habitats for fish, birds, and other species.
CASE STUDIES
These case studies demonstrate the power of thoughtful land development and environmental stewardship. From preserving natural landscapes to designing resilient communities, GL Homes is committed to creating places where people and nature thrive together for generations to come.
RIVERLAND MASTER-PLANNED COMMUNITY - Port St. Lucie
A thoughtfully designed 4,000-acre master-planned community that prioritizes sustainability and connection to nature. With over 300 acres of preserved land, RIVERLAND is a sanctuary for local ecosystems, providing vital habitats for native wildlife and maintaining the region's natural balance.
VALENCIA TRAILS - Naples
Seamlessly blending modern living with environmental stewardship, Valencia Trails is committed to preserving the area’s natural beauty. The community features over 160 acres of carefully protected preserves, ensuring a harmonious balance between development and nature.
CANYON CIVIC COMPLEX - Boynton Beach
The Canyon District Park project represents a collaborative effort between GL Homes and Palm Beach County, enabling the development of a 52-acre district park in the west Boynton area of unincorporated Palm Beach County on land dedicated to the county.
VALENCIA GRAND ROOKERIES - Boynton Beach
Valencia Grand, stands as a shining example of sustainable land development that integrates thoughtful ecological planning. Located in Boynton Beach, Florida, the community features two man-made lakes on its west side, which are home to unique islands designed to invite native birds to create rookeries.
Land Planning that Exceeds Requirement
As a thoughtful and forward-thinking land developer, GL Homes aims to go beyond industry standards whenever possible. Our integration of environmental stewardship with smart planning and civic responsibility exemplifies a holistic, future-focused approach to real estate development.
GL Homes Designs for Wellness & Longevity
At GL Homes, our wellness-first communities are thoughtfully designed to inspire healthier living and deeper connections, with walking trails, green spaces, and state-of-the-art fitness amenities that promote an active lifestyle. A vibrant calendar of clubs, classes, and events further cultivates meaningful relationships and a true sense of community well-being.
© G.L. Homes of Florida Corporation. Each community described is owned, developed, and sold by a separate and distinct entity, and therefore, no entity is liable or responsible for the acts or omissions of any other entity. All features and initiatives are subject to change at any time and without prior notice. Some photography used herein may be stock photography, which is used to depict the spirit of the lifestyles to be achieved rather than any that may actually exist or that may be proposed.