The nation’s fifth fastest-selling community is preparing to celebrate the grand opening of a new community this month. Babcock Ranch, the master-planned community straddling southeastern Charlotte County and northeastern Lee County, will unveil MidTown from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 28 as a part of the Home Quest: Discover Your New Home event.
It represents the next stage in development for Kitson & Partners’ 18,000-acre community planned for 19,500 residences, of which 2,500 already have been built, and about 6 million square feet of commercial space.
The new community features expansive green spaces, nature trails and six neighborhoods, including the town’s newest collection of fully furnished model homes. Of the nine builders with homes at Babcock Ranch, six—Christopher Alan Homes, D.R. Horton, Meritage Homes, Pulte Homes, Toll Brothers and William Ryan Homes—are building at MidTown and will offer tours of their single-family homes, twin villas and one-story townhomes, Babcock Ranch spokesperson Angela Bell said.
“MidTown is a special place, designed around outdoor recreation and Florida’s unique environment with parks and greenways inviting residents to connect with nature and their neighbors,” said Syd Kitson, chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, whose Babcock Ranch community was his brainchild some two decades ago.
Homes at Babcock Ranch range in price from the mid to high $200,000s to more than $4 million, Bell said.
Kitson & Partners purchased the 91,000-acre ranch from the Babcock family in July 2006 and then sold 73,000 acres to the state of Florida to permanently preserve the land, making it the largest land preservation deal in the state’s history.
“[Midtwon] celebrates Babcock Ranch’s pioneering and adventurous spirit, its authentic sense of community and emphasizes the simple joy of spending time outside,” Kitson said.
The community is along lakes, wetlands, nature preserves, parks and landscaped areas, and will eventually feature outdoor recreation offerings, including the Curry Creek linear trail spanning 3.5 miles connecting to six new parks. Trails hugging wetlands and water will offer playgrounds, play fields and event lawns for community gatherings.
The first in the series of parks is slated to be completed in early 2024. The remaining parks are expected to be completed by mid 2025.
Babcock Ranch will celebrate the grand opening of MidTown by offering home and environmental tours, children’s activities, food trucks and a $10,000 travel package grand prize.
Hop-on and hop-off trolleys will transport guests to MidTown neighborhoods where they can view the homes.
Activities will be centered at Explorers Park, where there will be a travel-themed guest lounge and cash bar under the Explorers Lounge tent.
Future plans
Babcock Ranch continues to be developed into new neighborhoods, including a 55-and-older community and one that will contain a water park.
DiVosta Homes plans a luxury resort-inspired community, while Lennar’s water park-themed Tucker’s Cove will feature a lazy river, water slides, a luau beach and family-friendly tavern on a beached ship. Lennar also is planning a luxury residential golf neighborhood.
