Category: Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                  For more information please contact:

July 15, 2020                                                                                      Lisa M. Barnott, 941.757.1542

                                                                                                                 lisa.barnott@lakewoodranch.com

LAKEWOOD RANCH RECEIVES “BEST HEALTH & FITNESS” RECOGNITION

Ideal-LIVING, a Southern living and real estate magazine, recently named Lakewood Ranch to its “Best Health & Fitness Community category in the fifth annual “Best of the Best” issue. The community was recognized for its wellness-centered master planning, extensive recreational amenities, and health-conscious lifestyle program.

“When the editors of ideal-LIVING looked at top communities with some of the best health and fitness opportunities, Lakewood Ranch immediately came to mind,” said Kelly Godbey, editor and associate publisher. “From its many amenities including golf, tennis, pickleball, parks, and walking trails, to yoga in the park, as well as the open-air farmers’ market and on-site medical care, the entire community is built around fitness.”

Surveys were collected at the 2020 ideal-LIVING real estate shows that showcased the top amenities in which potential homebuyers were interested. The top 100 amenity communities were chosen based on the top amenities requested, including walking trails, wellness facilities, proximity to healthcare, social clubs, swimming, a sense of community, cycling, racquet sports, gated, lake communities, and coastal communities.

A special editorial committee assembled by the publication reviewed the qualifications of each nominee and selected the winners in 12 categories.

“We are honored to be named as a ‘Best Health & Fitness’ community by ideal-LIVING magazine,” said Laura Cole, senior vice president of LWR Communities. “In these uncertain times, home buyers are placing a higher priority on connectivity, open space, and an active lifestyle. Lakewood Ranch has all the qualities and conveniences of an established town with the added benefit of resort-level recreational amenities in your own neighborhood. It’s plug and play here!”

Last year, ideal-LIVING recognized Lakewood Ranch in the “Best Wellness Community” category, due in part to The Ranch’s collaboration with The Academy for Brain Health and Performance and Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, on The Brain Health Initiative project. The Ranch’s CORE (Collaboration Opportunities for Research and Exploration) campus, a 305-acre research park which includes 971,000 square feet for STEM-focused academic partners, world-class research facilities, and the collaboration between new and emerging markets that focus on research, health, and education, was also cited.

“The ‘Best of the Best‘ feature honors those areas and communities which deserve special recognition for their outstanding qualities, facilities, and programs,” Godbey said. “During the challenging times, we hope that this special feature in our summer 2020 edition offers our readers a chance to find a better quality of life in a safer environment. Lifestyle is now more important than ever before and with many people able to work from home gives the ability to relocate sooner than they thought possible.”

The Top 100 Planned Communities are posted on www.ideal-LIVING.com/bestofthebest. For more information on Lakewood Ranch or CORE at Lakewood Ranch contact Lisa Barnott at lisa.barnott@lakewoodranch.com.

# # #

 

About Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 41,000 residents and features A-rated schools, the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than four million square feet of commercial property, including CORE, a life science business campus that focuses on research, health, and education. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.

 

About ideal-LIVING magazine

For more than 25 years, ideal-LIVING magazine has been a leading national publication for readers who are nearing retirement age or who are interested in the benefits of relocating their families or businesses. The magazine’s parent company, RPI Media, also distributes other publications like the comprehensive ideal-LIVING Choose Your Ideal Place Guide and sponsors the company’s signature ideal-LIVING Real Estate Shows each year. For more information, go to the website at www.ideal-LIVING.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                        For more information please contact:

July 10, 2020                                                                                                      Lisa M. Barnott, (941) 757-1542

                                                                                                                                 Lisa.barnott@lakewoodranch.com

 

 

LAKEWOOD RANCH REMAINS THE #1 BEST-SELLING

MULTI-GENERATIONAL COMMUNITY IN THE NATION

 

Lakewood Ranch maintained its position as the best-selling multi-generational community in the U.S., according to Maryland-based real estate consulting firm RCLCO’s 2020 mid-year survey. The Ranch secured 838 new home sales through the end of June of 2020, besting last year’s numbers by 2 percent. Lakewood Ranch’s overall second place position put it among the top-selling master-planned communities in the country for nine consecutive years.

 

Homebuying decisions have been driven by interest rates, favorable stock market conditions, and a deep desire to reestablish roots in an environment that affords a more connected and active lifestyle. The advent of COVID-19 has further shaped consumer preferences for houses with offices and pools, as well as larger dedicated community spaces, like parks and trails.

 

Although people are grappling with the wide uncertainty that remains regarding the impact of the virus on public health, economic growth and financial and real estate markets, interest rates are at an all-time low and the barbell effect (millennials and boomers) is driving tremendous demand for multi-generational housing at all price points. Buyers said that the outbreak has caused them to accelerate life plans; they also cited their desire for open space, and the wide array of villages, builders, and price points as major drivers in their homebuying decision.

 

“No question the outbreak has prompted a flight to quality,” said Laura Cole, senior vice president for LWR Communities, LLC.  “Buyers across the demographic and geographic spectrum have, in many cases, accelerated their decision to purchase a home in Lakewood Ranch because it has all the qualities and conveniences of an established town with the added benefit of resort-level amenities in their neighborhood.

“Lakewood Ranch’s open space and extraordinary array of floorplans has also been a major driver for those seeking to escape urban centers in favor of a more active and connected lifestyle,” Cole continued. “Today, Lakewood Ranch has three town centers, five neighborhood shopping centers, a medical center, A-Rated schools, over 120 miles of trails, 60+ clubs, premier sports complex, and over 1,400 businesses. Since COVID-19 hit, independent home offices, outdoor living space, and technology packages have become popular questions for our information center guides.”

Online traffic to Lakewood Ranch has been up across the board, even as physical traffic has returned, which was a pattern noted by RCLCO. “Those MPCs with more advanced tech features (virtual tours, community apps, etc.) to facilitate home sales had the most success during the slower period,” said Gregg Logan, managing director of RCLCO. “Builders and developers who were already utilizing online and virtual technology have had a significant advantage during this period of social distancing. We are seeing that those organizations that are adopting new technologies, such as accommodating self-showings and online transactions, are attractive to consumers for their safety as well as their simplicity and ease of use.

“The increased use of community apps and online amenities and services have become critically important aspects of both the sales and community building processes,” Logan said. “The execution of these components has helped both to facilitate new home sales as well as to sustain the sense of community which master-planned communities strive to create and which is key to their ‘lifestyle’ appeal.”

This online component was prevalent in Lakewood Ranch sales, where even with travel restrictions in place, buyers were purchasing homes, in many cases, sight unseen, making use of builders’ virtual tours, as well as interactive chats and virtual community presentations from the Lakewood Ranch Information Center. The Ranch’s history of more than a quarter of a century gave customers a sense of assurance and continuity seen in very few communities.

“To some degree, this fluid and uncertain environment has caused buyers to become more suspicious of communities who are long on plans and short on offerings that can be enjoyed in the moment,” Cole said. “Lakewood Ranch has the unique advantage of being owned and guided by the same family since its inception over 25 years ago. Their vision and dedication to quality planning has resulted in Lakewood Ranch being the best-selling community for all ages in the United States for three years.  It’s very easy to “plug and play” and feel part of this welcoming community made up of residents from across the U.S., indeed around the globe.”

Lakewood Ranch’s recent growth has come from millennials and baby boomers. Active adults accounted for a large percentage of sales, while young couples experienced the greatest increase in home sales of any consumer profile, jumping 38% year-over-year. Lakewood Ranch also outperformed the metropolitan area in attracting families and empty nesters. The northeast remained the largest feeder market for buyers from out of state, with increases in Midwest buyers, as well as those from the Maryland-D.C. area.

 

RCLCO has been ranking master-planned communities since 1994; for more information, visit www.rclco.com.

 

# # #

Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 41,000 residents and features A-rated schools, a hospital, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than four million square feet of commercial property. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 23, 2020 

For more information contact:
Lisa M. Barnott, (941)757-1542
Lisa.barnott@lakewoodranch.com

 Lakewood Ranch Announces New Waterside Place Tenants

Lakewood Ranch, the nation’s best-selling multi-generational master-planned community, has announced three additional tenants will open in the community’s new, 36-acre Waterside Place development.

Atria Café, CROPjuice and Duck Donuts are set to join previously announced tenants: Korê, Derek The Salon, PAINT Nail Bar, SmithLaw, Foundation Coffee Co., The Yoga Shack, SoFresh and Kilwins.

Waterside Place construction is underway and scheduled to open the first quarter of 2021. When complete, Waterside Place will serve as the heart of Waterside, Lakewood Ranch’s first Sarasota County village. The retail hub will blend arts and entertainment destinations with 115,000 square feet of unique in-line and freestanding commercial, retail and office space; diverse dining options; an eight-acre park; and miles of nature trails.

Atria Café, an artisan-focused eatery, boasts a menu of aromatic coffees, teas and specialty drinks, and a full menu of freshly baked breads, breakfast dishes, sandwiches, and salads, plus a toast bar. The café partners with local food purveyors to source the finest quality produce and ingredients. The Waterside Place location will be Atria Café’s second in Lakewood Ranch, following the eatery on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, between state roads 64 and 70.

“Our new Atria Café at Waterside Place will offer locals and visitors a cozy place to enjoy our artisan baked goods and locally-sourced ingredients, as well as our seasonally-focused menu,” said Jim Angus, co-owner of Atria Café.

Visitors to Waterside Place will have their pick of hand-crafted organic juices made from fruits and vegetables at CROPjuice. This will be the fourth location for co-owners Karen Odierna and Keith Campbell. This is the first location within Lakewood Ranch.

Duck Donuts is a family company offering fresh, delicious and made-to-order donuts in a variety of flavors. The brand, which originated on the sandy beaches of Duck, N.C., believes in giving back to the communities where its team members live and work. This will be the first location within Lakewood Ranch, as well as the first in the region.

Waterside Place will be more easily accessible to customers due to the completion of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, which now extends south to Fruitville Road. The completion of this project improves the transportation network for Sarasota County and Manatee County residents, alleviating congestion on I-75.

“We’re thrilled to welcome these new tenants to Waterside Place’s already exceptional lineup of retailers,” said Kirk Boylston, president of LWR Commercial. “We look forward to fostering more relationships with businesses in our community and offering residents and their visitors exciting new dining options.”

Situated on a 36-acre peninsula overlooking the mile-wide Kingfisher Lake, Waterside Place includes numerous unique communal parks and “pop-out” spaces, which will inspire gathering and interaction among visitors and businesses. The town center will further activate the dynamic area by hosting festivals, farmers’ markets, and more.

In total, Waterside will feature more than 5,000 homes in up to 12 neighborhoods, which will be connected to Waterside Place via trails and water taxis. More than 300 homes in the area have already been sold ahead of the town center’s anticipated opening later this year.

Other future amenities at Waterside include the relocation of the beloved Players Centre for Performing Arts into an expanded, 70,000-square-foot performing arts center. Construction on the center is set to begin in spring of 2021.

For more information about Waterside and Waterside Place, visit www.lwrwaterside.com. For more information on Lakewood Ranch, please contact Lisa Barnott at 941-757-1542.

 

# # #

 

Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 41,000 residents and features A-rated schools, a hospital, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than four million square feet of commercial property. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                    

May 7, 2020

 

LAKEWOOD RANCH PARKS SET TO REOPEN

 

Lakewood Ranch-managed parks will open to residents on May 8. These parks include Summerfield Park, Adventure Park and Paw Park at Greenbrook, Country Club Park, Heron’s Nest, Bob Gardner Park, Patton Park, and Roger Hill Park. Pavilion rentals and use of the athletic fields and courts will remain unavailable at this time.

 

Residents and the public are encouraged to exercise social distancing. Please be mindful of hard surfaces where germs of all types could be present, such as equipment on playgrounds, picnic tables, railings, and restrooms. Please use the parks with caution. We encourage patrons to wash their hands thoroughly and often.

 

Please help slow the spread of coronavirus by following these guidelines:

• Wash your hands often
• Avoid close contact
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.
• Consider covering your mouth and nose with a face cover when around others
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Monitor your symptoms, stay home if you feel sick

 

For more information contact Anne Ross at (941)907-0517 or email anne.ross@lwrtownhall.com.

 

# # #

Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 41,000 residents and features A-rated schools, a hospital, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than four million square feet of commercial property. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.

Contact:

Lisa M. Barnott

Director of Marketing & Communications

(941) 757-1542

Lisa.barnott@lakewoodranch.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Zilber Residential Group Building “Estia at Lakewood Ranch”

Single-Family For-Rent Community

Estia will Include 102 One-Bedroom Duplexes and 128 Two-Bedroom Houses

 

LAKEWOOD RANCH, FLA. (May 4, 2020) – Lakewood Ranch, the nation’s best-selling, multi-generational master-planned community, and Zilber Residential Group, the multifamily division of Zilber Ltd., have announced plans to open Estia at Lakewood Ranch, one of Florida’s first single-family for-rent communities.

 

Located off Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, adjacent to Bob Gardner Park, Estia at Lakewood Ranch will include 230 residences, including 102 one-bedroom, 725 square-foot units within 51 duplexes, as well as 128 stand-alone, 1,000 square-foot, two-bedroom homes.

 

Each home will feature ten-foot ceilings, private, fenced in backyards, screened-in patios and built-in dog doors. The community will also include a future amenity center with a pool, fitness center, community room, dog park and more.

 

Estia’s residences are currently under construction and expected to be available for move-in this fall. The model homes and clubhouse are expected to be completed and open this summer. Pending social distancing guidelines and recommended best practices from leading health organizations, virtual and private tours may be offered initially upon opening.

 

A growing trend in real estate, single-family for-rent communities generally appeal to renters seeking a long-term residential experience versus an apartment, where opportunities are often limited to short-term leases. Communities like Estia at Lakewood Ranch tend to include the best of both worlds: the benefits of a professionally managed and amenitized community of high-quality homes with elevated appointments, as well as the conveniences of a maintenance-free residence.

 

“Lakewood Ranch is the ideal location for Estia because it offers numerous lifestyle elements that typically appeal to a wide variety of tenants, including active professionals with young families, and downsizers,” says Mike King, Director of Residential Investments for Zilber Residential Group. “The community will appeal to those who desire a private home, low-maintenance living and robust lifestyle offerings.”

 

According to Metrostudy, the demand for single-family for-rent communities is largely due to trends in household economics, “one being the rent-by-necessity group of mostly younger families for whom down payment hurdles, monthly payment challenges, interest rate pressures, and rising for-sale prices have put homeownership beyond their means,” and households who choose to rent as a way of opting for a “‘less strings-attached’ lifestyle … and, yet, want to do so in a detached, single-family house in a new residential community.”

 

“We’re thrilled to introduce one of Florida’s first premium, single-family for-rent communities here in Lakewood Ranch and expand upon the variety of housing options available to our prospective residents,” said Kirk Boylston, President of Lakewood Ranch Commercial. “For many renters, these new units will serve as strong starter homes and a potential stepping stone to ownership of a more traditional, single-family home in Lakewood Ranch.”

 

Zilber’s additional communities developed in Lakewood Ranch include Echo Lake Apartments, Waterfront at Main Street Condominiums, and the single-family home community LakeHouse Cove at Waterside.

 

Founded in 1994, Lakewood Ranch spans more than 31,000 acres and includes more than 36,000 residents in over 20 villages. The Ranch is consistently rated as one of the best-selling master-planned communities in the country by both RCLCO and John Burns Real Estate Consulting, two independent real estate consulting firms. In January, both firms designated Lakewood Ranch as the best-selling multi-gen community in the U.S. for the second year in a row.

 

For more information on Lakewood Ranch, please contact Lisa Barnott at 941-757-1542.

 

For more information about Estia at Lakewood Ranch, please call 941-222-1898, email EstiaLWR@lincolnapts.com or visit www.EstiaLakewoodRanch.com.

 

# # #

 

About Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 41,000 residents and features A-rated schools, the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than 5.5 million square feet of commercial property. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.

 

About Zilber Ltd.

Zilber Ltd. is a prominent, full-service real estate company known for its diversified residential and commercial capabilities. The Zilber Ltd. organization has been operating for over 70 years – investing, building and managing real estate throughout the U.S, providing value to its customers while revitalizing communities. As one of the initial builders Zilber has been developing single family homes, condos, and apartments in Lakewood Ranch for more than 20 years under the Homes by Towne and Zilber Residential Group brands. For more information visit www.zilber.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                     For more information please contact:

March 2, 2020                                                                                                           Lisa M. Barnott, (941) 757-1542

Lisa.barnott@lakewoodranch.com

 

LAKEWOOD RANCH BOULEVARD EXTENSION NOW OPEN

Business leaders and various government officials gathered March 2 to commemorate the completion of the Lakewood Ranch Boulevard extension south to Fruitville Road.

 

The completion of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard will facilitate travel from Fruitville Road in Sarasota County, to U.S. 301, north of the Manatee River, via the Fort Hamer Bridge, in Manatee County. The road will improve the transportation network for people in both counties, alleviating congestion on I-75. This is the second north-south road that the Lakewood Ranch Stewardship District has built; the Lorraine Road extension, between University Parkway and Fruitville Road, was finished in 2017.

 

“The Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and Lorraine Road projects are of regional significance in that they provide increased mobility not for just Lakewood Ranch residents but everyone in Manatee and Sarasota counties,” said Rex Jensen, president and CEO of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Inc. “They are a continuation of our established standards of planning and infrastructure quality.”

 

Both the Lorraine Road and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard extensions connect Manatee and Sarasota counties, and run along Lakewood Ranch Waterside, The Ranch’s first development in Sarasota County, with more than 5,100 homes planned at completion. Waterside Place, the lakefront town center that will be home to stylish shops, acclaimed restaurants, and more, is under construction and expected to be complete by the end of the year.

 

The road project was a collaboration between Schroeder-Manatee Ranch (the developer of Lakewood Ranch) and Sarasota County; Schroeder-Manatee Ranch has a history, since its inception, of planning and implementing infrastructure ahead of development.

 

“The opening of this section of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard completes this much needed north-south thoroughfare connecting Manatee and Sarasota counties, providing a parallel reliever road to I- 75,” said Betsy Benac, chairwoman of the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners. “It has taken determination, grit and cooperation to get it done – thanks to SMR for being a great leader in this public private partnership!”

The road was built by Woodruff and Sons, in about a year and a half, at the cost of approximately $16 million. Construction of the 1.711 miles of four-lane roadway took 14,676 tons of asphalt, 4,400 linear feet of guardrails, 9,979 square yards of concrete for the sidewalk, and 34,918 linear feet of curb. The extension features two roundabouts and 82 streetlights.

 

“I am incredibly excited about this event,” said Mike Moran, chairman of the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners. “Traffic is a quality of life issue for our community and a top priority. It is a huge day for Sarasota County residents.”

 

# # #

Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 41,000 residents and features A-rated schools, a hospital, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than four million square feet of commercial property. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                         For more information please contact:

Jan. 8, 2020                                                                                                                  Lisa M. Barnott, (941) 757-1542

Lisa.barnott@lakewoodranch.com

 

LAKEWOOD RANCH BEST-SELLING MULTI-GEN COMMUNITY IN THE NATION

Lakewood Ranch has been recognized as the best-selling, master-planned multi-generational community in the country by RCLCO and John Burns (two independent real estate consulting firms) for the second year in a row.

 

Lakewood Ranch saw 1,655 new home sales in 2019, up from 1,479 in 2018 – an 11 percent increase year-over-year and the best sales year on record for The Ranch. The 11 percent increase exceeded the average growth of 8 percent on the top-selling list, RCLCO officials said.

 

Lakewood Ranch has been among the top-selling master-planned communities in the country for nine out of the last 10 years, according to RCLCO, who ranked The Ranch second in its “Best of the Decade” list.

 

Favorable market conditions contributed to Lakewood Ranch’s success in 2019, according to Laura Cole, senior vice president of LWR Communities. Sales came from throughout Florida, as well as from high tax markets in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, such as New York, New Jersey, Boston and Maryland. People are also coming, in increasing numbers, from Georgia and California. Low interest rates, a booming stock market, and a strong overall economy have helped bolster buyers’ confidence.

 

Lakewood Ranch’s multi-generational approach continued to pay dividends in 2019. “The community was prepared to meet increased demand from the millennial buyer while still accommodating move-up families, empty-nesters, retirees, and seniors,” Cole said. “Our strength lies in the diversity of our neighborhoods, abundance of shopping, dining, and services, job base, and exceptional lifestyle offerings. It is not unusual to see one sale turn into two, three, and even four sales as families and friends quickly follow the initial purchaser.”

 

The 2019 numbers were achieved, in part, by the opening of new neighborhoods like Kolter’s Cresswind, The Palisades from Freedom Homes by D.R. Horton; and Woodleaf Hammock, featuring M/I Homes and Meritage Homes. The growth of Waterside, the village located on the southern edge of The Ranch in Sarasota County, has also contributed. Waterside is situated around several lakes; its much-anticipated town center, Waterside Place, is expected to be complete at the end of this year.

 

Popular amongst residents are a vibrant Main Street that has become a shopping, dining and entertainment destination for the region, miles of trails and paths, parks offering a disc golf course, watercraft launches, and dog parks; and nationally recognized sports venues like the Premier Sports Campus and the Sarasota Polo Club. The Ranch is also home to A-rated schools, nine institutions of higher learning, and the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.

 

Lifestyle remains a major driver of sales. The Ranch is home to a national award-winning lifestyle director, a flourishing farmers’ market anchored by more than 60 local vendors, more than 50 diverse clubs, and a seemingly endless calendar of community events, including theater in the field, festivals and tournaments. New in 2019 was area’s first “Mindful Triathlon” – a 5K run, yoga and meditation. Coming online in the first quarter of 2020 are a resident website, with a directory exclusively for Lakewood Ranch businesses, and Ranch Nite Wednesdays, which will feature food trucks, cornhole leagues, music and celebration, at the Sarasota Polo Club at Lakewood Ranch.

 

The Ranch continues to be successful at market segmentation – the targeting of various age, income, and household segments with appropriately priced and designed residential product types – filling multiple market niches. Lakewood Ranch currently offers buyers 17 unique villages from which to choose, with a wide variety of homes types and price points ($200k to well over $1M) by 21 different builders. In 2020, five new villages are scheduled to open to add to the already robust offerings. Two new apartment communities opened in 2019, with another on schedule to be complete in 2020.

 

Lakewood Ranch is a major job center, with more than four million square feet of commercial real estate in place and entitlements for up to 14 million. There are more than 1,350 businesses in diverse sectors such as biomedical, technology, insurance, and education.

 

One commercial center, CORE (Collaboration Opportunities for Research), is a biotech, research and business-focused campus that is home to the Brain Health Initiative (BHI), formed by The Academy for Brain Health and Performance in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital. This large-scale effort is designed to uncover the factors that affect brain health and performance, as well as discern, develop, and test interventions aimed at enhancing brain health and optimizing performance throughout the lifespan. The Ranch was named to ideal-Living magazine’s “best wellness environment” category in 2019, due in part to the association with the BHI.

 

Not to be overlooked is Lakewood Ranch’s proximity to the beaches, and cultural and sports offerings that allow residents to experience a higher quality of life without sacrificing big-city conveniences.

 

RCLCO has been ranking master-planned communities since 1994; for more information, visit www.rclco.com. This is the 11^th year that John Burns Real Estate Consulting has ranked top-selling U.S. master-planned communities; for more information, visit www.realestateconsulting.com.

 

# # #

Lakewood Ranch is the 31,000-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 38,000 residents and features A-rated schools, a hospital, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than four million square feet of commercial property. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                             For more information please contact:

Jan. 2, 2020                                                                                                       Jennifer Kovatch

                                                                                                                                  Jennifer.kovatch@lakewoodranch.com

SARASOTA POLO CLUB AT LWR TO HOST RANCH NITE WEDNESDAYS

Visitors to last season’s Market at Lakewood Ranch remember laid-back Wednesday nights at the Sarasota Polo Club – sharing food, fun, activities, and music as the sun went down. The Market moved to Sundays at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, but the mid-week camaraderie will live on at weekly Ranch Nite Wednesdays, starting Jan. 8 at Sarasota Polo Club.

The “new” event will feature the familiar live music, with local acts by Independent Jones, kid’s playground and family-friendly lawn games, and outdoor picnic and table seating. There will be a food truck rally with a rotating lineup of trucks each week, featuring a mix of dinner and dessert options. New this year are libations available for purchase from the Sarasota Polo Club.

“I am really looking forward to hosting our ‘Ranch Nites’ this season with Lakewood Ranch Communities,” said James Miller, co-owner of the Sarasota Polo Club. “Lakewood Ranch is growing the food truck participation and ‘turning up the volume’ on the live music talent. We are developing some additional turf games to complement polo, beginning with a cornhole league, and we will have our Pavilion bar open for cocktails. This Wednesday evening program could be one of the most exciting additions to our season!”

MVP Sports and Social will host the highly anticipated first Lakewood Ranch-based cornhole league. Interest is phenomenal, according to MVP’s “commish,” and owner Chris McComas, who said more than 30 teams had already signed up weeks before play was to begin. “I’m hoping we get to 40 teams, which would make it completely sold out,” McComas said.

Not ready for organized play? There will also be free-play cornhole boards for those who want to enjoy the game but not commit to the league.

“Ranch Nites” is the definition of what our community is all about,” said Monaca Onstad, director of community relations for Lakewood Ranch. “I look forward to seeing everyone chill on the beautiful Polo grounds while truly enjoying why we call this magnificent place home.”

The free, mid-week celebrations kick off at 4 p.m. and last until around 8 p.m. (ending later for league play) through Feb. 26.

For more information about Ranch Nite Wednesdays visit lakewoodranch.com/event/ranch-nite-Wednesdays.

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Lakewood Ranch is the 31,000-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 36,000 residents and features A-rated schools, a hospital, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, its own Main Street with theaters, shopping and dining, and more than four million square feet of commercial property. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.