Downtown Wellen Park is being featured in the December 2025 issue of Landscape Architect and Specifier News, a national industry publication that highlights standout commercial and retail developments across the country. The feature recognizes the design behind the downtown area that many Wellen Park residents now consider the heart of the community .
Designed to Feel Like It Belongs Here
From the beginning Downtown Wellen Park was designed to feel less like a shopping center and more like a true town center. Walkable streets open lawns shaded gathering areas and views of Grand Lake were all planned to encourage people to slow down stay awhile and keep coming back.
The publication highlights how the downtown area blends retail dining entertainment and outdoor space in a way that works for everyday life. Whether it is a quick coffee a night market live music or just a walk around the lake the space was built to handle it all without feeling crowded or forced.
A Place Residents Actually Use
What makes this recognition meaningful is not just the national attention. It is how accurately it reflects how Downtown Wellen Park is actually used.
Families gather on the lawn. Kids climb and play while parents watch from nearby seating. Neighbors run into each other without planning it. Events feel natural not squeezed in. That does not happen by accident. It comes from intentional design choices that put people first.
Chris Cianfaglione PLA ASLA of Kimley Horn who led the project shared that this was his final major design effort and that it has been rewarding to see the space grow into such an active part of daily life in Wellen Park.
A Win for the Whole Community
Rick Severance Division President at Wellen Park for Mattamy Homes also acknowledged the recognition thanking the entire team behind the project and calling it another win for Wellen Park on a LinkedIn post.
For residents this moment is a reminder that the place many already enjoy is being noticed well beyond Southwest Florida. Downtown Wellen Park is not just new or popular. It is working exactly as it was intended to.
As Wellen Park continues to grow this kind of thoughtful planning sets the tone for what comes next. A downtown that feels welcoming flexible and truly connected to the community it serves.
