Inspired by IDI President Giuseppe Cecchi’s Italian descent, Villa Cortese is a condominium community modeled after a typical Italian town in which the buildings, designed and created in the distinct style of family-owned villas, are arranged around a town square. Completed in 1997 in the Leisure World of Maryland, Villa Cortese captures the romance of European life while providing spacious, luxurious homes for its adult residents. Each of its 170 units, contained within four 4-story buildings, was created to give the impression of the interior of a distinct and individual Italian villa. The interior features a freshness of design, providing open spaces, natural light, and a wonderful view. The distinctive exterior most dramatically sets Villa Cortese apart from its forerunners, composed in earthy shades of tan that tie in with the decorative clay tile roof. Two Italian painters were brought in to create the impression of depth on the flat cement façade. With its realistic renderings of decorative quoins, window frames, and stonework, Villa Cortese creates a charming, captivating world of its own.