Company Milestones
Company Milestones
1992
- Formation of Gale, Wentworth & Dillon (GWD), the Residential Real Estate Division of Gale & Wentworth.
- GWD starts master plan development of The Hills in Bedminster, NJ
1993
- GWD starts master plan development of Cherry Valley in Princeton, NJ.
1996
- GWD partners with Blackstone Real Estate Advisors to purchase Ibis Golf & Country Club in West Palm Beach, FL.
1999
- Syd Kitson buys out partner, transforming GWD into Gale & Kitson.
2002
- Syd Kitson forms Kitson & Partners.
2003
- K&P partners with Morgan Stanley to purchase Ibis Golf & Country Club in West Palm Beach, FL.
2006
- Evergreen Real Estate Advisors makes long-term entity-level investments in K&P.
- K&P purchases Babcock Ranch, in North Fort Myers, FL, and then sells 73,000 of the 91,000 acres to the State of Florida; agrees to manage the State’s land for permanent preservation.
2007
- K&P acquires 11 retail shopping centers across Florida, totaling more than 1.6 million square feet.
2009
- K&P reaches a landmark solar energy agreement with Florida Power & Light to build a 75-megawatt solar array at Babcock Ranch.
2010
- K&P forms an Advisory Board consisting of Lawrence Burns, Jeb Bush, Peter Rummell, and William Smith.
- K&P acquires Bay Pines, a 60-acre mixed-use development project in Tampa, FL.
2011
- K&P acquires Talis Park, formerly known as Tuscany Reserve, in Naples, FL — a 460-acre luxury country club community with a Greg Norman-Pete Dye-designed golf course.
2013
- K&P contracts for the acquisition of Mitchell Ranch planned for nearly one million square feet of retail space and 800 housing units.
- K&P makes a strategic decision to exit the golf management business and sells its Clubs Division to Billy Casper Golf.
2015
- October – Solar Facility Groundbreaking. Florida Power & Light substation and solar facility groundbreaking.
- November- K&P groundbreaking at Babcock Ranch. Beginning of site work.
2016
- Babcock Ranch Grand Reveal, Earth Day April 22, 2016.
- Babcock Ranch breaks ground for Founders Square town center, June 28, 2016.
2017
- Founder’s Square and Model Homes opened to the public March 2017
- First annual Founder’s Fest held March 11-12, 2017
- Babcock Neighborhood School K-6 opens August 2017
- Partnership with TransDev announced for autonomous vehicle network
- Lennar and Pulte launched home sales November 2017
- Square Scoops opens November 2017
- The first holiday tree lighting event December 2017
2018
- First residents move in, Slater’s Provisions & Goods celebrates Grand Opening January 2018
- TransDev launches first autonomous shuttle February 2018
- Florida Power & Light launches the largest combined solar generation/battery storage operation in the US at Babcock Ranch March 2018
- Health & Wellness Center completed, Hometown Grand Opening celebration March 2018
- First residents move into Trails edge Neighborhood June 30, 2018
- Opening Celebration, Babcock Neighborhood School August 7, 2018
- Opening of Lee Physician Group Clinic December 6, 2018
- Jack Peeples Park Opening December 8, 2018
- Redevelopment of Plaza Del Mar Shopping center is completed with Publix as new grocery anchor tenant August 2018
2019
- Bloom Academy Early Learning Center opens at Babcock Ranch January 2019
- Lee Physician’s Group primary care clinic opens at Babcock Ranch January 2019
- K&P recapitalizes eight retail shopping centers with Apollo Global Real Estate March 2019
- Kitson & Partners announces plans for an 83,000 SF retail shopping center at Babcock Ranch April 2019
- Gov. Ron DeSantis approves $8 million in funding for an Emergency Shelter to be built at Babcock Ranch June 2019
- Sheriff’s station opens at Babcock Ranch August 2019
2020
- Syd Kitson was elected to chair the Florida Board of Governors January 2020
- 4.2 miles of Dr. Bill Hammond Trails open at Babcock Ranch January 2020
- Grand opening of Lennar’s Babcock National 18-hole golf course at Babcock Ranch March 2020
- Babcock Ranch earns the Florida Green Building Coalition’s “Florida Green” commercial building certification for buildings in Founder’s Square April 2020
- Groundbreaking for Cypress Lodge and Innovation Tower at Babcock Ranch June 2020
- Babcock Ranch is recognized as ranking in the Top 50 among the country’s top-selling Master Planned Communities through the first half of 2020 July 2020
- Babcock Ranch announces seven new home neighborhoods August 2020
- Groundbreaking for Crescent B Commons Shopping Center, an 83,000 SF retail shopping center at Babcock Ranch with Publix as the anchor tenant. August 2020
2021
- Babcock Ranch is recognized as ranking 34th among the country’s 2020 top-selling Master Planned Communities February 2021
- Babcock Ranch Foundation opens office location at Babcock Ranch February 2021
- Cypress Lodge and Innovation Tower open at Babcock Ranch April 2021
- Babcock Ranch wins the prestigious 2021 “Game Changer” Edison Award in the category of Sustainability April 2021
2022
- Babcock Ranch named No. 14 top-selling master-planned community in the country. The recognition reflects the record sales of more than 1,758 homes, with 714 homes sold in 2021.
- Babcock Ranch launches Innovation Way, a first-of-its kind living laboratory allowing builder partners Lennar, Pulte Homes and D.R. Horton to test new and emerging technology and construct smarter, healthier homes that one day will set a new standard in homebuilding.
- Construction on the Field House is completed, serving as the school’s gym, as well as performance space, fitness center, cafeteria and locker rooms. Built to International Code Council 500 as an emergency storm shelter, the building also supports community programs and rental venues for private functions.
- Babcock Ranch Field House is activated by the State of Florida as an emergency shelter during Hurricane Ian.
- Babcock Ranch gains national attention. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, national media zeroed in on Southwest Florida, telling tales of destruction and survival, especially on the region’s barrier islands. While millions across the state of Florida lost power and running water, Babcock Ranch sustained the nearly Category 5 hurricane with only minimal damage: a downed traffic light, some felled trees, and a few shingles missing from roofs. The community also never lost power, water or internet.
2023
- Babcock Ranch rings in the new year as No. 5 best-selling community in the United States by RCLCO and John Burns Real Estate Consulting’s top 50 master-planned communities for 2022.
- Kitson & Partners completes new playground at Crescent B Commons, giving children 1,700 square feet of interactive nature-inspired play with spiraling slides, a tire swing, log stepping stumps, and spring riders.
- Plans are announced for second shopping center at Shoppes at Yellow Pine at Babcock Ranch.
- Kitson & Partners completes renovations at Babcock Ranch’s first recreational amenity building and unveils a new name – Lake Timber Lodge.
- Babcock Ranch named an international Game Changer for communities throughout the world, winning the top Edison Award for resiliency in design.
- Babcock Ranch embarks on its next phase of development with the introduction of MidTown and the opening of eight neighborhood parcels offering thousands of new single-family homes, including new builders, tucked along Curry Creek Preserve, lakes and an expansive village green.
- Babcock Ranch announces partnership with Tampa General Hospital.
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