Riviera Dunes in Palmetto offers the boating lifestyle in several housing types, from high-rise and mid-rise condo to villas and large houses. This 9,583-square-foot lot at 804 Riviera Dunes Way has a dock on the boat harbor and is priced at $499,000 through Wall Realty. Staff photo / Harold Bubil; 10-19-2015.
If you’re looking for a relaxed lifestyle, spectacular waterfront vistas, and a sheltered marina, Riviera Dunes Resort and Yacht Club might be just for you. One of the best boating communities on the West Coast, it is located in Palmetto on the north shore of the Manatee River, just south of the Bradenton Area Convention Center. Consisting of five distinct neighborhoods, it offers a variety of living opportunities attractively arranged around a central harbor.
There are several entrances into the gated community, off U.S. 301 close to the bridge to Bradenton, or along Haben Boulevard, a divided thoroughfare that marks the northern boundary of Riviera Dunes.
For many years the area was an open dolomite pit mine, which was landlocked and had no harbor. But the owners had a vision for future residential use and pursued getting the proper permits. Ultimately, a group of five investors developed the land. They had a square basin dredged to nearly 20 feet of depth and opened it to the Manatee River by cutting two channels. The resulting harbor, six miles from the Gulf of Mexico, can accommodate 400 boats.
This house, behind a guard gate at 812 Riviera Dunes Way in The Island of Riviera Dunes, is listed for sale at $1.5 million through Debbie Volger of Michael Saunders & Co. Built in 2007 by John Cannon Homes, it has four bedrooms and four baths in 3,463 square feet, and a dock on the yacht basin. Staff photo / Harold Bubil; 10-19-2015.
First Dartmouth Homes of St. Petersburg was the exclusive builder initially. FDH started selling homes in 2001. But the owner, Frank S. Maggio, ran into financial difficulties in 2008 and other builders came in to finish the project.
Today, Riviera Dunes Resort and Yacht Club is nearly built-out. There are only a few empty parcels available, facing the harbor and on the river’s edge.
Arnie DuFort, a Realtor with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, was one of the pioneer owners and has lived in Riviera Dunes for 14 years. “We fell in love with it when we came down from Tampa to take a look,” he remembers. “It is a wonderful boating community — very tranquil.”
As a member of the original sales team, he worked for the builder for seven years until going into general real estate. “I’ve sold more than $100 million worth of property here,” he says proudly. Currently he has several listings in Riviera Dunes, and one closing next month.
DuFort likes the variety of residences and different price points in Riviera Dunes.
Residents of the Laguna mid-rise condominiums have exclusive use of this clubhouse and pool facility overlooking the Riviera Dunes boat harbor and marina. Staff photo / Harold Bubil; 10-19-2015.
Closest to the entrances off U.S. 301, two condominium communities offer traditional Florida ambience and panoramic views of the Manatee River. Laguna has 168 living units in four multi-story buildings, while El Mare’s 124 condos occupy two tall towers. Each has its own swimming pools and clubhouse.
There are two sections of single-family residences in Spanish-Mediterranean style with stucco exteriors and red tile roofs. One offers 60 maintenance-free homes inland, which range in size from 1,700 to 2,900 square feet. The other consists of 95 larger estate homes — 3,000 to 5,000-plus square feet in size — arranged around the marina and along the river. A number of them have private docks in the harbor.
Large three- and four-bedroom townhouses in The Hammocks at Riviera Dunes are priced at about $300,000 to $330,000 when they come on the market. Staff photo / Harold Bubil; 10-19-2015.
The Hammocks is a subdivision of 65 three-story townhouses. In addition, of the 400 boat slips in the Riviera Dunes marina, 220 are “dock-ominiums” set aside exclusively for Riviera Dunes residents. The rest are available to the public. There is a dockside restaurant, the Blue Mangrove Grill, which provides a social deck, tiki bar and restaurant with live entertainment.
Because of the protected, deep-water location, yet easy access to the Intracoastal Waterway and Gulf, the marina is a favorite with seasonal and year-around boaters. “The majority of residents are permanent, a mix of people who have retired from corporations and businesses,” says DuFort. “But we also have some snowbirds, as well as people who keep their boat here and fly in.”
Many of the residents pursue an active lifestyle. They take their pets on the walking paths around the harbor, kayak, play tennis and enjoy the heated swimming pools. For golfing enthusiasts, a number of area courses are within easy driving distance.
With so many different amenities and living opportunities, Riviera Dunes is a popular real estate venue.
Over the past six months, 18 homes have sold from $225,000 to $990,000, with two transactions pending. Currently, there are five active listings, ranging in price from $415,000 to $1.65 million.
The Hammocks registered three sales, and has two pending. Right now, three townhouses are on the market, from $275,000 to $329,000.
The two condo communities recorded 15 sales, from $206,000 to $540,000, and one pending sale; and there are 12 active listings, from 239,500 to $825,000.
