NEWS

The grocery store and a high school are slated to open soon, giving residents of this fast-selling, master-planned community access to more essentials.

The new high school in America’s first solar-powered town will offer students education on sustainability and renewable energy.

IMAGE: COURTESY PHOTO

Residents of fast-growing Babcock Ranch will soon have more essentials at their fingertips. Crescent B Commons, an 82,640-square-foot Publix-anchored shopping center at a new entrance to Babcock Ranch, is slated to open Sept. 3, with the actual Publix grocery store expected to open in mid- to late September.

Meanwhile, Babcock High School, adjacent to the community’s existing elementary school, is scheduled to open in time for the 2022-23 school year, serving the influx of families finding homes in the neighborhood. It will offer a project-based learning that echoes the qualities that make the solar-powered town stand out, with “green STEAM” programming that folds in sustainability and renewable energy concepts.

A 40,600-square-foot recreation center that houses the school’s cafeteria and gymnasium will serve as both an emergency storm shelter and a recreation center for school and community activities. It will accommodate up to 1,343 people.

Despite the addition of more development, half of the town’s footprint is set aside as greenways, parks and expansive lakes, offering residents space to enjoy nature and scenic backdrops for Babcock Ranch’s homes and the Founder’s Square downtown district.