When purchasing a home in a planned community, buyers are investing in a lifestyle as much as a piece of real estate.
GL Homes has built a reputation for crafting exceptional living experiences across its Florida communities, with an emphasis on resort-caliber amenities tailored to both families and active adults 55 and older. The Real Deal spoke with Marcie DePlaza, GL Homes’ Chief Operating Officer, about the company’s latest landmark amenity — the Lotus Edge clubhouse in Boca Raton — and how it reflects the brand’s commitment to serving residents of all ages.
A luxury experience
GL Homes approaches each community by centering design decisions around its residents’ expectations.
Lotus Edge is a premier single-family community in Boca Raton, with 649 homes priced between $1.7 million and $3 million. The clubhouse was designed to appeal to both parents and children while meeting the elevated standards set by the residences themselves, including the community’s multi-million-dollar entrance.
“Lotus Edge is a luxury community, so you want it to look and feel like a Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons,” says DePlaza. “You want to ensure that all the finishes are very high-end, the light fixtures, the furniture, every detail.”
The 39,000-square-foot clubhouse features indoor and outdoor bars as well as a full-service restaurant with wood paneling, banquette seating and glass chandeliers.
The space successfully balances luxury with Florida’s relaxed sensibility.
“The restaurant has the look and feel of a high-end New York City establishment,” says DePlaza, “but it also carries a Florida casual quality, where homeowners can come in from the pool and sit down for dinner without missing a beat.”
Amenities designed for every generation
The GL Homes team conducted extensive research before finalizing the amenity program for Lotus Edge.
“Early in this process, we studied what high-end luxury country clubs, hotels, and residential properties were offering,” says DePlaza. “We then held focus groups with children and young families to understand exactly what they wanted.”
Families have access to three pools, a cold plunge and a children’s splash pad. The fitness offering is equally comprehensive, encompassing a training studio, yoga garden, wellness retreat, indoor sport court, and fitness center, as well as pickleball, padel and tennis courts.
Younger residents are served by a children’s play zone and arcade, a dedicated teen room, and a shaded outdoor play area.
“The teenagers love the room with ping pong, foosball, Pac-Man, video games and more,” says DePlaza.
All clubhouse amenities are included in the monthly HOA fee of approximately $800.
Shaped by resident feedback
GL Homes continues to refine its offerings at Lotus Edge and across its broader portfolio, driven by a commitment to exceeding expectations.
Several additions, including the cold plunge pool, indoor pickleball courts and two padel courts, represent firsts for the Lotus brand, introduced in direct response to resident feedback and emerging luxury market trends.
DePlaza maintains a disciplined focus on identifying features that could elevate the experience across the portfolio.
“That strategic thinking applies to all of our communities, whether they are 55-plus, luxury family, or first-time homebuyer,” says DePlaza. “We are giving buyers far more than a home. We are giving them a lifestyle that is second to none, right in their own backyard.”
That philosophy extends to programming as well. Each community develops clubs based on resident interests — from Mommy and Me to Boot Camp — drawing from hundreds of offerings across the GL portfolio. At Lotus Edge, the team hired a dedicated social director to lead events and programming.
“She came from the wedding industry, which was new for us,” says DePlaza, “but she brings an elevated style to everything we do.”
To mark the clubhouse’s debut, the social director orchestrated a La Dolce Vita–themed opening celebration.
“It was a remarkable evening,” says DePlaza. “The residents were genuinely so excited and very grateful.”
More than a place to live
For DePlaza, amenities like the clubhouse represent something beyond convenience: they are investments in residents’ well-being.
“When I see the lifestyle we offer to young families and active adults, it strikes me as truly distinctive,” she says. “It genuinely does enrich your life. You can pursue a demanding career and still have a full, vibrant life outside of work, right in your own backyard. That is what these communities deliver, at an uncompromising level of quality and luxury.”
Witnessing residents enjoy the clubhouse is a source of deep satisfaction for the COO. It’s a reflection of the considerable effort the GL Homes team invests in every community.
“We acquire the land, we develop it,” says DePlaza, “and then three years later, you walk in and see homeowners truly enjoying life, forming new friendships & building lasting memories. That never gets old.”