La Vina Ziani: Gated Waterfront-Lot Homes in Lake Nona

By David Myers, Broker Associate · Nona Orlando Properties Team at Ziro Realty, LLC · Last reviewed August 13, 2026 · Contact David Myers

Ziani sits behind a private gate off Dowden Road, one of four separate villages that make up the larger La Vina area alongside Capri, Solvino, and Mirabella at La Vina. Of the four, Ziani and Mirabella are the gated ones, and Ziani is the village where the majority of homes back to water. The homes are single-family, in one- and two-story plans, and run larger than in the other three villages — a short drive from Medical City, Orlando International Airport, and the shops along Narcoossee Road.

What Are the Homes Like in La Vina Ziani?

Ziani is a built-out village of about 65 to 70 single-family homes built by M/I Homes in the mid-2000s, running roughly 2,400 to 4,000 square feet on lots of about 0.20 to 0.38 acre — the largest homes and lots in La Vina.

M/I Homes was the sole builder here, as it was across all four La Vina villages, but Ziani got the larger end of the plan range. Floor plans come in one- and two-story layouts with three to six bedrooms, two to four bathrooms, and two- to three-car garages. Exteriors lean Mediterranean, and clay tile roofs are common here in a way they are not across every La Vina street.

Most homesites back to water rather than conservation, which is the single clearest difference between Ziani and its sibling villages. Lot sizes run from about a fifth of an acre up to roughly a third, so the spread is wide enough to be worth checking per address. Because the village is fully developed, homes come to market as resales, and buyers should expect twenty-year-old systems on homes that have not been updated: roofs, HVAC, and water heaters from the original build are at or past their service life. Tile roofs complicate that calculation — they last longer than shingle but cost considerably more to repair or replace, so the roof deserves specific attention at inspection. For newer construction, the nearest activity is down Dowden Road in Randal Park.

What Amenities Do Residents Get?

A gate and a small private neighborhood park — there is no community pool, clubhouse, or fitness center.

Ziani is gated, with a small private park inside the gates. The shared amenity here is the gate and the park; some individual homes carry their own private pools. That keeps HOA obligations lighter than at the larger amenity-heavy communities elsewhere in Lake Nona, though as the cost section below explains, it does not exempt owners from the CDD assessment. Mirabella at La Vina is the other gated village and is set up the same way; Solvino and Capri have neither gate nor park.

What the location gives up in on-site amenities it makes back in walkable retail: the La Vina Marketplace shopping center — restaurants, service shops, and medical offices — is a short walk up the road, and a Publix-anchored plaza sits down Narcoossee Road. For public parks and recreation nearby, see our Lake Nona parks guide.

Where is La Vina Ziani and What's Nearby?

Off Dowden Road between Narcoossee Road and the SR-417 GreeneWay, about five miles from Orlando International Airport.

Ziani sits off Dowden Road, which runs between Narcoossee Road and the SR-417 GreeneWay in the Lake Nona area of southeast Orlando. That puts quick access to both SR-417 and the SR-528 Beachline within reach, which is what makes the area convenient to Medical City, Valencia College's Lake Nona campus, and Orlando International Airport — the airport is roughly five miles away.

Day-to-day errands are close: the La Vina Marketplace is walkable, and Lake Nona Town Center — the area's larger dining, shopping, and entertainment hub — is about eight miles out. Downtown Orlando runs around 20 minutes by car in normal traffic.

How Does Ziani Compare to the Other La Vina Villages?

All four La Vina villages were built by M/I Homes, sit in the same CDD, and none has a pool or clubhouse; the differences are the gate, the home size, and what the lots back to.

The clearest way to place Ziani is against its own sibling villages. Home type, gated status, and district membership are the stable, sourced attributes here — prices move with the market, so those live with the live listings rather than on this page.

All four villages are HOA communities that maintain common areas, and all four are within the Narcoossee Community Development District, though the assessment differs by village and by parcel. Confirm specifics for any individual home.

Who is Ziani a Good Fit For?

Ziani fits buyers who want the largest homes and lots in La Vina behind a gate, with a water view, and who accept a CDD assessment without resort amenities in return.

It's a good fit if…

• You want a water-backing lot. Most Ziani homesites have one, which is not true of the other three La Vina villages.
• You want the largest homes and lots in La Vina — up to about 4,000 square feet on lots approaching a third of an acre.
• You want a gate and a quiet, low-turnover street more than a pool deck and a calendar of community events.
• You fly often. Five miles to MCO is among the shortest airport runs in the Lake Nona area.
• A three-car garage matters. Ziani is the La Vina village where those were built.
• Your children are past middle school, or a longer middle-school run is not a problem for you.

Look elsewhere if…

• You expect amenities in exchange for the CDD. This is the honest downside: Ziani owners pay a Narcoossee CDD assessment and get a gate and a small park, while Laureate Park and Eagle Creek carry a CDD and deliver pools, fitness centers, and clubhouses for it. If you are paying the assessment either way, compare what it buys.
• You want to avoid a CDD entirely. Try Belle Vie, Moss Park Landings, or Nona Terrace — all HOA-only, no CDD.
• You want new construction or a builder warranty. Ziani is built out. Randal Park is the nearest active new-home activity off Dowden Road.
• A tile roof worries you. Clay tile is common in Ziani. It outlasts shingle but repairs and replacement cost more, and on twenty-year-old homes that is a real budget line.
• You want a smaller, lower-cost home in the same area. Solvino and Capri were La Vina's more affordable phases, and Mirabella at La Vina sits between them and Ziani.
• You need a middle school close to home. The La Vina villages are zoned to Odyssey Middle, which sits outside the Lake Nona community.

What Schools Serve La Vina Ziani?

Current OCPS zoning is Northlake Park Community School, Odyssey Middle School, and Innovation High School — but OCPS sets the boundaries and can change them.

La Vina Ziani is served by Orange County Public Schools. Current zoning for the La Vina villages is Northlake Park Community School for elementary, Odyssey Middle School, and Innovation High School. Worth knowing before you tour: Odyssey Middle sits outside the Lake Nona community, so the middle-school run is noticeably longer than the elementary and high-school runs. OCPS has opened newer schools nearby and adjusted boundaries in this corridor as the area has grown, and it can do so again. Confirm the current assignment for a specific address with OCPS before relying on it. For an overview of the area's options, see our Lake Nona schools guide.