Ave Maria Debuts Redesigned Welcome Center
When the Ave Maria Development (AMD) team set out to reimagine the Ave Maria Welcome Center space, they dreamed big, hoping to create a location that was welcoming and engaging for all visitors, including potential home buyers, residents and their families, vacationers and festivalgoers. The idea was to invigorate its corner of Town Center and turn it into a hub of friendly interaction that reflects the active lifestyles and vibrant communities in Ave Maria, Florida.
“We wanted to capture the essence of Ave Maria and have people understand the town better by visiting the space,” said Michelle Mambuca, marketing and public relations manager of town developer, Barron Collier Companies (BCC). “Visitors will receive a colorful, vibrant welcome with an invitation to have a snack and talk about what it’s like to live in the community, what the best places to eat and shop are, and what all the builders offer.”
When entering, visitors are greeted by the ‘Square One’ hospitality bar where they can enjoy a cold beverage or coffee while chatting with one of the Welcome Center staff members, all of whom live in Ave Maria. “We named it Square One because this is where you start when you come in. It’s an important connection point with our staff to ask questions and be comfortable like you’re at home,” Mambuca said. “Our staff members are very friendly and love to get to know people. They live right here in the communities. It’s a chance to ask a resident, ‘Hey, how do you like living here?’ and get their honest opinion.”
To the left of Square One, a dynamic wall with orange, green, yellow and blue accents feature photos of Ave Maria residents playing pickleball, shopping in Town Center, splashing at the Water Park, playing golf and dining at one of the many locally owned restaurants. A brochure tower and two monitors feature the different builders and home styles, as well as information about upcoming events.
“The Ave Maria team wanted something that was fresh and exciting and inviting for the community and enticing for potential buyers,” said Jenelle Lovings, Senior Interior Designer of Creative License International. “We focused mainly on the athletic amenities that are offered throughout the community. Pickleball has been one of the hot sports for the last few years, so you’ll see touches of that theme throughout the space. Golfing is another major draw, so those amenities helped to guide some of the decisions that we made. We also wanted it to feel like you’re walking through a neighborhood with trees overhead and park benches to stop and take a break. Being outside in Florida is always beautiful, so we brought that feel into the interior of the space in a functional and fun way.”
Stepping further into the Welcome Center, a putting green invites visitors to a short game with premium clubs and balls from Ave Maria’s two golf courses — The National and the Panther Run Golf Club. Also on the green is a sky-blue golf cart that looks exactly like a retro convertible Bronco. “As we’ve gotten to know residents, we’ve come to understand that this is a golf cart-friendly town.” Mambuca said. “People love their golf carts, even if they don’t golf, because you can get anywhere in town on a golf cart, whether it’s Publix, the Town Center or the new Midtown Plaza.”
In the back corner of the Welcome Center are two selfie stations shaped like pickleball paddles with bench seating and neon lighting. “This is a fun place for residents to take a selfie for social media and tag us at @AveMariaFL or #AveMariaFL,” Mambuca suggested. “I can imagine residents bringing their family when they’re visiting and making a memory there.”
Located at 5076 Annunciation Circle, Unit 104, the Welcome Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 239-352-3903.