Behind the gates of the Longboat Key Club in Bay Isles, a collection of residential neighborhoods, lies Fairway Bay. Combining resort-style vacationing, outstanding amenities, and leisurely island living, its name refers to its location by the southern end of a 27-hole golf course and on Sarasota Bay.

Comprising 288 homes in midrise condo towers and attractive, two- and three-story townhouses, Fairway Bay has lush, well-kept tropical landscaping throughout. The two- and three-bedroom residences are airy and spacious, ranging in size from 1,192 to 2,632 square feet. Many offer spectacular water views. The southernmost townhomes have boat docks with easy access to the bay.

The 5-story condo buildings feature white exteriors and clean, elegant lines. The townhouses have a picturesque quality, with bright blue awnings over some of their windows and dark blue tiles on the sides of the exterior stairs leading to the entries above the ground-floor garages. Two guarded entrance gates – one on Gulf of Mexico Drive, the other on Bay Isles Parkway – ensure quiet and privacy.

The entire area was created by the Arvida Corporation, which was founded in 1959 and quickly became one of the largest real estate companies in Florida (now owned by Disney). Starting with the development of Bird Key, it soon turned its attention to the southern end of Longboat Key.

Judy Kepecz-Hays, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker, worked for Arvida when Fairway Bay was constructed from 1982 to 1988. “Arvida was a great company to work for,” she remembered. “Anything they built was stellar.”

Over the years, she has sold a lot of real estate in the area and has a listing at 1930 Harbourside Drive Unit 121. The two-bed, two-bath condominium with 1,442 square feet of living space is on the third floor of a condo tower looking south at Sarasota Bay. The asking price is at $850,000.

“It’s a phenomenal location. As a corner unit, it a has more sky, more sun, and more afterglow of sunsets than some of the other condos,” said Kepecz-Hays. “You can enjoy watching sunrises, boaters, birds and fish from the two balconies.”

She added: “It has a large breakfast nook which can be converted into an office or extra bedroom for children. The second bedroom has been built out with closets, and contains a desk and a Murphy bed.”

The condo comes with a parking spot under the building – not all units have that, although there is plenty of outside parking available. Buyers have the option of purchasing the condo furnished.

Residents in Fairway Bay enjoy using the two heated swimming pools and hot tubs, the fitness center, tennis courts, clubhouse, kayak launch with storage racks, and miles of biking and walking trails.

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Luxury and privacy on the northern end of Casey Key 

There are three condo associations in Fairway Bay, referred to as Fairway Bay I and II, and The Atrium. Quarterly dues of $3,225 cover maintenance of the building exteriors, grounds, all amenities, cable TV, insurance, and escrow reserves.

The neighborhood is pet friendly, allowing one small animal with a maximum weight of 15 pounds. Residences can be leased two times a year with a two-month minimum rental requirement.

Everyone in Fairway Bay has access to the Bay Isles Beach Club on the Gulf of Mexico next to the En Provence condominiums. The private beach has an onsite attendant and features picnic areas, grilles, shaded areas, volleyball, showers, restrooms, and storage facilities for folding chairs and other beach items (there is a waiting list). The annual dues are $519.

While joining the Longboat Key Club is not mandatory, many residents of Fairway Bay take advantage of the different levels of memberships to get access to the championship golf course, a marina – the second largest on the Gulf Coast – and several restaurants. Other nearby amenities include a Publix grocery store and CVS Pharmacy conveniently located just outside the gates in the Shoppes of Bay isles.

The demographics of Fairway Bay are a mix of vacationers, retirees and some families with children. “The smaller the residence, the less likely that owners live there year-round,” said Kepecz-Hays. “The larger ones tend to be up to six months occupied.”

She continued, “Now we have buyers who loved vacationing here with their mom and dad, and want their children to have the same experience they had.”

As of this writing, there are three pending sales in Fairway Bay, and another active listing beside Kepecz-Hays’ – a three-bed, three-bath townhome with an asking price of $1,145,000.