NEWS

By Jeff Cull | on November 13, 2019

BY EVAN WILLIAMS
ewilliams@babcockranchtelegraph.com

A NEW LAKESIDE CLUBHOUSE AND ACTIVITIES CENTER FOR BABCOCK Ranch residents, Cypress Lodge, is slated to begin construction late this year and to open up next fall or winter. Like the town itself and many of its buildings, it is a nod to the history of the original Babcock Ranch entwined with modern, environmentally friendly building and landscaping features.

As an amenity for the town’s residents, Cypress Lodge will include a clubhouse, a lawn with games for families, a swimming pool and a waterfront tower with the Babcock Ranch logo that will be lit at night and visible at various vantage points in the community. The facility will sit directly on Lake Babcock just northeast of Founder’s Square.

The old Cypress Lodge for which it is named still stands on a part of Babcock Ranch now owned by the State of Florida. Echoing the original, the new lodge sports a rustic design and will serve the community as a gathering place, says architect Kermit C. White of Principle Design & Development Group in West Palm Beach.

The old Cypress Lodge for which it is named still stands on a part of Babcock Ranch now owned by the State of Florida. BABCOCK RANCH TELEGRAPH

“The original Cypress Lodge is set up in the wetlands on the ranch and is a very out-of-the-way kind of rustic-style lodge,” he says.

Unlike the old one, however, the new lodge is not intended for overnight stays (though it is designed for both day and nighttime activities). The building materials and style for the new lodge also take inspiration from an old commissary building from the original ranch, with its red tin roofs and trellises.

The interior, air-conditioned space of the new Cypress Lodge will encompass about 2,000 square feet. With a large pool deck area and lawn, the entire fenced-in site could easily accommodate an event with 150 people. Spacious outdoor features are set for timeless activities such as relaxing by the lake, pool parties and extended family gatherings.

COURTESY RENDERING

“The real intention here is all about taking advantage of the exterior, active lifestyle at Babcock Ranch,” Mr. White says. “It’s got an outdoor clubroom on the pool deck. It has a large trellis area with an exterior living room complete with a fireplace, barbecue and sink.” The idea, he adds, is that family and friends can spend the day here.

The large activity lawn “is all about families and creating a space for kids to play and have fun,” Mr. White says. “They can run back and forth between the lawn and the pool. And there’s also a separate game lawn for horseshoes, bocce ball and cornhole.”

A tower with the Babcock Ranch logo will sit on a point of land extending into Lake Bab- cock near the clubhouse. The electric pontoon boat taxi that now operates near Table & Tap restaurant in Founder’s Square will be ideal for shuttling passengers there to watch the sunset.

For Mr. White as the architect of Cypress Lodge, designing the building and its surroundings meant starting with Babcock Ranch’s signature historic-environmental style.

“Two things,” he says. “First, we are always pulling from the history of the ranch, and that’s the connection to the original commissary building and the original Cypress Lodge. We’re always trying to have some aspect relating back to the original ranching operations of the facility.”

Second, he says, “We’re always looking to be very sustainable. The main lawn, game lawn and play lawn are all going to be done in artificial turf, which is a very sustainable way to do the lawn, without pesticides, fertilization, irrigation, and ongoing maintenance.

“Kids and their friends and families will be able to play there all the time.”