NEWS

Founder’s Square provides great places to meet your neighbors

By Florida Weekly Staff | on October 31, 2017

Top: Slater’s Goods & Provisions is more than a general store – the attached ice cream and coffee shop is a great place to meet your neighbors.

Below: The Lakehouse at Lake Timber provides indoor and outdoor space for family and neighborhood gatherings.

When the first residents of Babcock Ranch move early next year, they won’t have to use their imaginations to see what life in this innovative new town has to offer. They’ll be in walking distance of a downtown district that is already bustling with daily activity, a community pool and lake house that is ready to host their neighborhood and family gatherings, and a community garden that is already producing a wide variety of fresh herbs and vegetables served up daily at their local farm-to-table restaurant.

The completion of neighborhood amenities and opening of the initial downtown district before anyone moves in is just one of the multitude of ways the solar-powered town arising just northeast of Fort Myers sets itself apart. As builders work to complete homes for their first buyers in the Lake Timber neighborhood, developer Kitson & Partners is preparing for the November opening of a general store, ice cream shop and collaborative work space at Founder’s Square.

Above: The Discovery Center in Woodlea Hall on Founder’s Square is the informational hub for first-time visitors to Babcock Ranch.

“Typically, developers start with homes and residents have to wait until a certain number of people move in before the promised amenities are constructed,” said Syd Kitson, Chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners. “At Babcock Ranch, we’re delivering on the hometown experience and the lifestyle from day one.”

Slater’s Goods & Provisions is a one-stop shop for staple items and locally-sourced produce, as well as farm-to-table dining in a more casual setting and healthy, pre-made meals to take home. Named in honor of legendary Babcock cattleman Bo Slater, the general store also features a full production kitchen that will be taking over preparation of the healthy school lunches served to students at Babcock Neighborhood School.

Tucked inside Slaters is another new business sure to be a favorite with students and adults alike. Square Scoops Ice Cream will be serving up 16 flavors from The Ice Cream Club, part of the fresh from Florida initiative. But Square Scoops is more than an ice cream parlor. It’s also a coffee shop – serving up craft coffees in a rural setting. Parents can snag their morning jolt of caffeine after dropping of their kids at school, while others grab a cup to go on their way to the business incubator located just upstairs. From private offices for rent by the month to daily passes for work space and conference rooms, The Hatchery provides creative and flexible work space where those who thrive on collaboration will find inspiration.

November also marks the beginning for presales for homes in two new neighborhoods by Lennar and Pulte with homes starting in the $190s. Both builders will have offices at The Hatchery until their models are completed. Prospective residents who register online will have the first opportunity to lock in significant pre-construction incentives that will only be available through the end of the year. To learn more, visit www.babcockranch.com. ¦