Resilience
Overcame a Category 4 hurricane with no power outages or flooding, reinforcing the storm safe design and innovative surface water system
Sustainability
Emphasizes sustainable designs by including solar fields and a nighttime energy system to power the community as well as electric vehicle charging stations
Unity
Designed to reflect natural ecosystems through innovative surface water management, preservation areas, and cohesive community building
Babcock Ranch is an 18,000-acre community in Southwest Florida, strategically designed for storm safety and inspired by the connections between natural processes and civil engineering. This technologically advanced haven is at the epicenter of Southwest Florida’s newest growth corridor, just 20 minutes east of downtown Fort Myers and 25 minutes from the Southwest Florida International Airport. Sustainability is also at the heart of this community, which is powered by two solar fields and focused on continued energy conscious developments.
Community Resilience
In 2022, the Babcock Ranch community notably survived Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm, without loss of power or street flooding. The community’s surface water system mirrors natural flow and acknowledges the interconnectedness of ecosystems within the region, and this thoughtful system promoted land and community resilience after the hurricane. The design of the surface water management system includes created wetlands, additional 50% water quality treatment, water storage basins, control structures to enhance the hydroperiods of existing wetlands, and conveyance to alleviate the existing flow of State Road 31 adjacent to the project.
Kimley-Horn became involved with Babcock Ranch early in the due diligence and planning phases, and our team has continued to provide services for this project throughout multiple stages, including the development of the town center and first 1,000 units of development. The services we have provided and are continuing to provide for Babcock Ranch include the following:
- Master planning
- Permitting
- Surface water management design
- Construction phase services
- Water and wastewater infrastructure
- Roadway design
Future Planning
Lake Timber, Babcock Ranch’s first neighborhood, held its grand opening in 2017. When Babcock Ranch is completed, the community will be home to more than 50,000 residents and include single-family and multifamily residential neighborhoods along with additional commercial areas. This distinctive project has already provided a safe and sustainable home for many people, and the project’s continued development poses opportunities for Florida residents to flourish within the state’s unique environmental atmosphere.
Project Recognition
- 2021 John Burns Real Estate Consulting Top 50 Master-Planned Communities
- 2021 RCLCO Real Estate Consulting Top 50 Top-Selling Master-Planned Communities
- 2021 Edison Award, Gold Winner–Game Changer for Sustainability
- 2020 Lee Building Industry Association Master-Planned Community of the Year
- 2020 Ideal-LIVING Best of the Best Eco-Friendly Communities
