East Lake

Developed on former farmland, the winding residential streets of Oak Ridge are now home to a suburban community seeking space to spread out under gnarled coastal trees hung with Spanish moss. While Oak Ridge is primarily residential, its proximity to connective roads provides residents with easy commutes to shopping, dining, education and coastal recreation hubs from Clearwater to New Port Richey. About 30 miles from Tampa, Oak Ridge supplies accessibility to urban amenities while remaining a quiet, suburban enclave off the Anclote River. “Oak Ridge is different from a lot of other places in New Port Richey and Trinity because the properties sit on an acre of land or more and there are no deed restrictions. People can park campers and house a couple of ponies; it’s hard to find other neighborhoods nearby that will accommodate that,” says Venessa Finazzo, a Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway with expertise in areas from Tarpon Springs to New Port Richey. Custom built homes from 1970s ranch-styles to sprawling 2020s contemporary farmhouses sit on generous lots on the eastern side of Oak Ridge, selling for $500,000 to $1.6 million depending on square footage and age of construction. Backyard pools, RVs and mature trees hung with Spanish moss are common sights throughout the neighborhood. A few gated communities line the western edge of Oak Ridge, most notably Magnolia Estates, developed in the early 2000s. Neat rows of stucco single-family homes with nods to Spanish Revival and Craftsman styles sit on lots of half an acre or less along the community’s residential sidewalks, selling for $600,000 to $750,000. Community amenities like a playground and private boat launch into the Anclote River draw residents who don’t mind a smaller lot and HOA fees. “We have very highly desired schools that are top performers in sports and academics,” Finazzo says. Kids can attend Seven Springs Elementary School which earns a C-plus on Niche, followed by Seven Springs Middle School which earns a B-plus and James W. Mitchell High School which earns an A. James. W. Mitchell High is Pasco County’s highest rated high school, and school pride shines at Mustangs sporting events from varsity football to basketball. Oakridge Park is a cozy community park on the western edge of Oak Ridge, populated by a couple ball diamonds and playground surrounded by picnic tables and shady mature trees. For residents seeking the fishing, boating and waterfront amenities available along the Gulf of Mexico, public parks, boat launches and sandy beaches line the coast within 7 miles of Oak Ridge. For residents of Magnolia Estates, backyard access to the Anclote River and a community boat launch is available within their gated community. While Oak Ridge is primarily residential, locals have access to several shopping plazas for essentials and retail shopping within a few miles. Seven Springs Boulevard connects residents to the specialty businesses and Publix at Chelsea Place as well as the Bealls and Walgreens off the 54, each within 3 miles of Oak Ridge. More extensive retail options like Target and Ulta as well as HCA Florida Trinity Hospital are less than 5 miles away further down the 54. Closer to home, residents can grab authentic Greek cuisine at Seven Springs Souvlaki or watch the game at The Stadium’s bar. Heading east toward Holiday, Oak Ridge residents can access Highway 19 and drive to coastal tourist and commuter hubs like Tarpon Springs, St. Petersburg and Clearwater. A handful of GOPASCO bus stops off Seven Springs Boulevard can take residents on fixed routes around Pasco County, and locals looking to access the airport or city life in Tampa start their 30-mile drive down that same stretch of road. Oak Ridge’s position between Holiday, Tarpon Springs, Trinity and New Port Richey means residents can drive less than 6 miles to attend community events. The Tarpon Springs Seafood Festival packs tens of thousands of foodies and vendor marketgoers along the Craig Park waterfront each fall, and the Trinity Farmers Market pops up local vendors, food trucks, live music and pet adoption booths at Generations Christian Church on the first Saturday of each month. Several areas of Oak Ridge contain properties run through by small creeks which require owners to purchase flood insurance. Property values and new residents’ purchasing choices are partially influenced by whether or not flood insurance is required on any individual property.