NEWS

STAFF REPORT

BABCOCK RANCH — Babcock Ranch has surpassed 1,500 homes sold, with more than 470 sold this year, the community’s developer announced this week.

With sales up 61% for the first half of 2021, Babcock Ranch also jumped nine spots to number 25 on the list of the country’s 50 top-selling masterplanned communities of 2021 by RCLCO Real Estate Advisors.

“The hometown feel of Babcock Ranch continues to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers,” said Syd Kitson, chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners. “Our focus on health and wellness, commitment to sustainability, and advances
in technology and innovation all contribute to making our vibrant community not only a destination but also a hometown.”

Kitson & Partners’ announcement also touted anticipated strong home sales for the rest of the year, along with new retail offerings at Crescent B Commons, the 82,640-square-foot, Publix- anchored shopping center at a new entrance to Babcock Ranch slated to open Sept. 3. Publix is expected to open in mid- to late September.

Another project underway at Babcock Ranch is construction of Babcock High School. A new one-story field house, under construction on the school campus, will serve as both an emergency shelter and a recreation center for school and community activities. The 40,600-square-foot facility is being built to International Code Council 500 standards for storm shelters and will accommodate up to 1,343 occupants, according to a press release.

“As Babcock Ranch continues to grow, we are excited to offer our residents and neighbors in the area a broad spectrum of services — from education and recreation spaces to additional options for shopping and dining,” Kitson said.

Ranked as Southwest Florida’s top master-planned community based on Metrostudy data for single- family home annual starts in Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties, Babcock Ranch was also named 2020 Master- Planned Community of the Year by the Lee Building Industry Association.