Going driverless in Southwest Florida
Vasilas Karavidas maneuvers the bright red six-seater into the traffic lane Friday afternoon with his lap dog Alfa by his side. But Karavidas isn’t driving the red mini van — there’s no steering wheel on this model — he’s programming it on his laptop computer. The sight of a sandhill crane on this road is more likely than […]
The Most Sustainable Town in America
It was love at first sight for Richard and Robin Kinley. But it took a sunset to seal the deal. The Kinleys, both 59 and living in Atlanta, visited southwest Florida in January to look at Babcock Ranch, a planned community that could become the most sustainable town in America. When finished, Babcock Ranch, located about […]
Babcock Ranch making development history
Florida development history was made last weekend at Babcock Ranch in southeastern Charlotte County. In a scene that was reminiscent of the real estate promotional events of the 1920s Florida Land Boom, about 20,000 people attended the two-day Founders Fest event, which gave the public its first look at the first buildings and model homes […]
Florida Eco-Friendly Town opens for business
With a farm-to-table restaurant, driverless shuttles, homes built with the latest green techniques and a massive solar farm to offset energy use, Florida’s first sustainable town is now open for business. The buzz about Babcock Ranch, an eco-friendly city of the future and the largest development of its kind in the United States, drew more […]
Lennar Signs on to Babcock Ranch
Lennar is joining the roster of builders at Florida’s Babcock Ranch, set to be the nation’s largest solar-powered town upon completion. The provide a mix of twin-villas and single-family homes at price points within reach for a broader range of home buyers at the community near Fort Myers. “The neighborhood located southeast of Founders Square, adjacent […]
Former NFL Player Syd Kitson Banks on Babcock Ranch, His Ambitious Sustainable Community
IT’S GAME ON for developer Syd Kitson’s sprawling Babcock Ranch, an ambitious bet on a huge, high-tech new town east of I-75 built on sustainability, solar energy and access to nature. The ranch is located about 75 miles south of downtown Sarasota and east of I-75 on State Road 31. Babcock’s modest entrance is followed by […]
OpEd: Florida making smart progress on solar
On a sunny day in Florida, I watched the American flag rise and fly over hundreds of acres of solar cells. It was an amazing experience to think the million panels I was looking at in Manatee County were replacing energy from conventional fuel combustion plants. Yet this solar field feeding directly into the power grid […]
Florida Lifestyle’s Taylor model ready to open at Babcock Ranch
Submitted by Caffrey & Associates BABCOCK RANCH — Kitson & Partners announced that Florida Lifestyle Homes is poised to complete its furnished Taylor model in the Lake Timber neighborhood at Babcock Ranch. A second furnished model featuring Florida Lifestyle’s Lauren floor plan is on schedule for completion in approximately 60 days and construction of a third […]
Lee County looks ahead to driverless car revolution
The biggest revolution in cars since Henry Ford cranked up the first automotive assembly line is dawning. Just as putting automobiles within reach of everyday consumers brought mobility to the masses, cars wirelessly connected to the driving environment will mean changes in the way we arrange our lives, get around in our world and perhaps even choose where […]
Lake Kinley named after first homeowners at Babcock Ranch
Andrea Stetson, Special to The News-Press There’s a big perk to being the first person to purchase a home in Babcock Ranch. That perk: getting a lake named after you. Richard and Robin Kinley purchased a house and will soon be living on Lake Kinley. “My husband was teasing and said ‘we are the first […]