Homes by WestBay, parent company of Casa Fresca Homes and No. 59 on the 2024 Builder 100, announced entry into the Tampa Bay region’s multifamily and build-to-rent sectors.
This latest expansion follows WestBay’s recent internal reorganization to better focus on its adjacent submarkets in Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, and Marion counties to the north and Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties to the south.
“We’ve always been very intentional in understanding our home buyers and maintain a keen eye on providing exceptional homes for desired lifestyles,” says Willy Nunn, president of Homes by WestBay. “Our entry into multifamily and build-to-rent strategies will complement our luxury and attainable brands, and we will continue to deliver exceptional design, quality, and value that our customers expect.”
Working directly with Nunn, Brian LeBlanc will lead the new efforts as its vice president of multifamily. As a seasoned veteran of the commercial real estate and private equity business, LeBlanc will initially be focused on sourcing new land acquisition opportunities to feed the new rental housing business lines. He will then oversee the new project pipeline through entitlements, design, capitalization, construction, operations, and ultimately disposition.
“Willy started Homes by WestBay during the Great Recession, and it is that vision that will allow us to capitalize on land and partnership opportunities in the challenging and unique market environment we are currently operating in,” says LeBlanc.
Propelling its launch into rental housing, WestBay is also developing four master-planned communities, including Hawkstone, Crosswind Ranch, Pasadena Ridge, and Mitchell Falls.
“Homes by WestBay has invested nearly $96 million in large land acquisitions to allow us to create scaled home building and quality communities to an even broader base of residents,” says Mark Metheny, president of land at Casa Fresca and Homes by WestBay. “With carefully chosen business partners and experts, we are planning our communities to bring more thoughtful and attainable home building to the Tampa Bay region over the next two years.”
