Realtor.com: Inside America’s First Solar-Powered Community
America’s first solar-powered community has had a “mind-blowing” effect on residents’ power bills—and it’s even getting attention for surviving Hurricane Milton unscathed, and without losing power. Billed as “the Hometown of Tomorrow,” this planned community in Punta Gorda, FL, just 15 miles from Fort Myers, is fueled by solar energy, thanks to the 880-acre solar […]
A Hands-On Solar Experience at Babcock Ranch’s FPL Eco-Discovery Center
Babcock Ranch is not just any community—it’s America’s First Solar-Powered Town. With a strong commitment to sustainability, resilience, and technological innovation, Babcock Ranch leads the way in creating a living environment that is both eco-friendly and future-forward. One of the most exciting attractions here is the Solar Ranch – an FPL Eco-Discovery Center, a place […]
Forbes: Hurricanes Helene and Milton Should Motivate Us to Bury Power Lines
Hurricanes Helene and Milton remind us of electricity infrastructure’s vulnerability to extreme weather events. However, at least one Florida community, Babcock Ranch, managed to avoid electricity shutoffs from downed power lines. A newspaper story reported that “All the structures at Babcock Ranch are built to withstand more than 150-mile-per-hour hurricane force winds, and its 150-megawatt […]
SolarButterfly Visits Babcock Ranch
The SolarButterfly, a 30-foot, solar-powered, self-sustainable residential vehicle, visited Babcock Ranch—also known as America’s first solar-powered town, on it’s 4-year global tour to show the world that there are solutions against Global Warming. Read more about their visit in this Gulfshore Business article.
Babcock Ranch featured in New York Times article on solar power
Not every energy-resilient community is classified as a microgrid. Babcock Ranch, a development about 15 miles northeast of Fort Myers, Fla., calls itself the nation’s first solar-powered town. Babcock Ranch has an 870-acre solar farm to power the community, including two solar array systems totaling 150 megawatts of capacity, a transmission substation (with another being […]
Babcock Ranch Featured at Aspen Ideas: Climate Conference
Babcock Ranch, which is powered entirely by solar, was designed for resilience, said Kitson as he spoke to the crowd on the final day of the conference. The 150-megawatt solar facility has 700,000 panels, and weathered the hurricane well. Kitson took a rare approach to developing land. The firm bought the 91,000-acre ranch in 2006, […]
The Hometown of Tomorrow: Four Ways Babcock Ranch is Building a New Model for Sustainable Towns
Sustainable living is the future, there’s no way around it. Living in harmony with the environment around us, built to provide a community with ample resources to thrive not just now, but for generations to come—economically, socially, environmentally—it’s a vision picking up momentum around the world. As the idea becomes a priority to commercial and […]
FAQs: Buying a Home, Sustainability, Storm Safety, and Life at Babcock Ranch
From available homes to storm safety, we’re answering your most asked questions about life in Babcock Ranch. Homes, Builders and Community Fees How do I start the homebuying process? How many available homes do you have? One way to start your homebuying process is by visiting our Discovery Center, where our Town Ambassadors will answer […]
A Resilient Community Designed to Weather Any Storm
Rooted in the passionate belief that smart growth and sustainability work hand in hand, Babcock Ranch was designed as a new kind of hometown. From solar energy to alternative transportation to parks, trails and open green spaces serving as vibrant gathering spots, Babcock Ranch is an innovative, welcoming place for everyone. Since embracing its first […]
The History of Babcock Ranch
Originally lured to the area for hunting, Pittsburgh lumber magnate Edward Vose Babcock purchased the 91,000-acre tract of land known as Crescent B Ranch in 1914. At the time, the Babcock Ranch property stretched across a significant portion of Southwest Florida and was used for logging and agriculture. Despite the phenomenal growth in Florida since […]
Eco-Friendly Green Homes: How Are They Built?
Eco-friendly homes can include all the modern amenities you expect to find in a new home. The major difference is they are built with sustainability in mind. Here are a few key features of a green, eco-friendly home. Powered By Clean Energy Eco-friendly homes rely on clean energy to power the lights, heat, and cooling […]
Earth Day 2016 With Babcock Ranch
Celebrating Earth Day 2016 With Babcock Ranch Earth Day at Babcock Ranch Florida will be very significant. April 22nd, 2016 marks the day to inspire awareness and appreciation for the earth’s environment. Millions of people around the globe will take action to protect our environment, lending a hand to combat climate change, pollution, and much […]
Building A Sustainable Town in Florida
Preview in new tab Many cities and surrounding communities are planned, built, and modified without any awareness to the level of destruction they are causing the environment. Ten years ago, Syd Kitson, a Florida developer had a vision to develop a 17,000-acre sustainable city in Southwest Florida, known as Babcock Ranch. Babcock Ranch is a […]
Babcock Ranch: A Solar City Making Great Progress
We’re very excited to share the progress that has been made on the FPL Babcock Ranch Solar Energy Center! Located in Charlotte County over 400+ acres, the Solar Energy Center will provide energy to the future thousands of homes in the town of Babcock Ranch. “We are honored and pleased that Florida Power and Light […]
The Importance of Walkability
If you follow us on Facebook, you may have noticed a post we shared from FastCoExist.com. It was all about the walkable streets and the importance walking has on our lives. From our physical and mental health to increasing land and property values, using walking as your main form of transportation has some major benefits. […]
SustainRWorld Day: Advocating for a Better Tomorrow
From environmental issues to social issues and everything in between, it’s more important than ever that we band together to help create a better, more sustainable world. Our own Syd Kitson, CEO/Chairman of Kitson & Partners and visionary behind Babcock Ranch, is a part of a fantastic campaign. SustainRWorld Day is a movement to bring […]
Syd Kitson Named as Opening Ceremony Keynote Speaker for GreenTrends 2016
We’re very proud to announce that our very own Syd Kitson will be the keynote speaker for Green Trends 2016, a conference held by the Florida Green Building Coalition. The annual GreenTrends Conference provides a unique opportunity for those in the industry to learn more about Florida’s green building industry and how to build sustainably. […]
Babcock Ranch Interactive Info Map
Are you interested in learning more about Babcock Ranch and its uses for the land? Hover over the points in the below to explore more about sustainability, activities, and amenities of the naturally preserved land of Babcock Ranch.
Resources for Community Gardening
A working ranch for more than 100 years, Babcock Ranch’s tradition is rooted in the fertile soil of Southwest Florida. Town maker Kitson & Partners is dedicated to maintaining that tradition in the development of the new town of Babcock Ranch. Among the benefits of living at Babcock Ranch: access to your community garden. For […]
Babcock Ranch: Making Sustainable Living Easy
People are quick to tout a community’s sustainability, but what does that term really mean? First, a definition of sustainable living, courtesy of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences: It’s based on the idea that our economy, culture and quality of life are closely tied to the environment. Sustainable-living practices enable […]
