News

Lessons learned from a Florida residential community that bested Hurricane Ian New techniques are making it possible to minimize the impacts of a hurricane, and the example of Babcock Ranch

The homebuilder Park Square Homes plans to begin site development in the next few months. An Orlando-based homebuilder with an office in Tampa, Park Square Homes, has acquired 25 acres

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., January 30, 2023 /CSRwire/ — As climate change supercharges hurricanes, flooding and drought, U.S. businesses realize the potentially high cost of vulnerability, with flooding a prime example. According

Renewable energy a way of life at Babcock Ranch Syd Kitson When we first set out to build Babcock Ranch, we dreamed of creating a truly special hometown and brought

Innovators invited to compete for startup funds BABCOCK RANCH, FL –   A new date has been set for the inaugural TechXpedition startup challenge at Babcock Ranch.  Originally slated for last

As Hurricane Ian moved toward Florida’s west coast in late September, Amy Wicks drove around this rapidly growing community, trying to figure out what she hadn’t thought of yet. She

Pocket of Light In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, an estimated 2.7 million Florida homes and businesses lost power. For customers of LCEC, which provides electricity to more than 240,000

It is clear that more countries, cities, and communities are embracing technology and access to renewable energy such as solar, wind, water, thermo, and biomass power sources, and creating viable

• The Babcock Ranch development between Fort Myers and Punta Gorda, with its solar-powered community, underground power lines and retaining ponds that kept houses from flooding, showed the art of

As the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season entered its final month, utilities in the U.S. Southeast may have been tempted to exhale. Then came Hurricane Nicole. The Category 1 storm made

BABCOCK RANCH COMMUNITY STEPS UP FOR OTHERS IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE IA WHEN HURRICANE IAN SLAMMED INTO SOUTH west Florida, one community rode out the storm with relative ease,

Even in a state that’s no stranger to hurricanes, the destruction in the wake of Ian is staggering: more than 100 deaths, most by drowning; communities in tatters; the price

Hurricane Ian caused mass destruction to Southwest Florida, taking dozens of lives and leaving millions without power. But in the midst of devastation, a small solar-powered community was left virtually

WASHINGTON —  Sitting on a 7,000-hectare stretch of land in southwest Florida, Babcock Ranch has made a name for itself as the first solar-powered town in the United States. Its

On September 25th, Hurricane Ian was projected to slam into Tallahassee; however, over the next few days, Ian decided to take a right turn and decimate our neighbors to the

America’s city planners of tomorrow look set to base future developments on an innovative “hurricane-proof town” that successfully weathered Hurricane Ian, experts told Newsweek. Babcock Ranch, a planned community of

‘It just doesn’t make sense to rebuild the same way every time, knowing that the next time a storm comes by, we end up in the same place,’ developer says

One RMIer recounts his experience braving Hurricane Ian and why the lights stayed on in his solar-powered sustainable community. My family and I survived our first hurricane. Hurricane Ian passed

Babcock Ranch, a community in southwest Florida, is America’s first weather-resilient settlement that is fully powered by solar. The community has a lot to celebrate. It is the first settlement built

Homes in Babcock Ranch are built on higher ground, protected by retention ponds, and powered by 650,000 solar panels. As Hurricane Ian ravaged Florida last week, causing fatalities, destruction, and billions of dollars worth

BABCOCK RANCH, Fla. — Like many others in Southwest Florida, Mark Wilkerson seemingly gambled his life by choosing to shelter at home rather than evacuate when Hurricane Ian crashed ashore

As Hurricane Ian battered Florida and left millions without power last week, one forward-thinking community managed to keep the lights on. Babcock Ranch, a planned community of roughly 2,000 that bills itself

An entirely solar-powered community just 12 miles from where Hurricane Ian made landfall survived the storm without losing power, CNN reported. Babcock Ranch was designed with a redundant solar grid

Its technology should have applications all over the country. Florida’s Babcock Ranch is “America’s first solar-powered town,” and not only did it supply power to homes during the onslaught of

Babcock Ranch and Punta Gorda both survived Hurricane Ian with little damage, thanks to robust building codes and good planning. In 2006, Syd Kitson, a retired professional football player, purchased

Hurricane Ian’s impact on southwest Florida has been nothing short of devastating. But even as millions lost power, had their homes destroyed and were left in total disarray, one small

CNN — Anthony Grande moved away from Fort Myers three years ago in large part because of the hurricane risk. He has lived in southwest Florida for nearly 19 years, had experienced

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – Babcock Ranch High School is just days away from opening. Monday morning kids will be welcomed bright and early. The school is designed for grades 6-12. However,

BABCOCK RANCH, Fla — School will start Monday for nearly 800 students in Babcock Ranch, and about half of them will be in the new Babcock High School building. “They

Babcock High School welcomed its first students at the beginning of the school year on Monday morning. It was the grand opening for the new high school, located at 43301

Charter school a high-tech ‘living lab’ along with other twists on traditional education   BABCOCK RANCH — Babcock High School officially opens Monday. Until this school year, Babcock Neighborhood School

Babcock Ranch is the 10th fastest-selling master-planned community in the U.S., based on mid-year rankings by real estate consulting firm RCLCO. It jumped four spots since the end of 2021 when it claimed

Construction of Babcock High School and an adjacent field house is now complete and on schedule to welcome students for the 2022-23 school year Aug. 8. Located on the education

Organizers of the Edison Awards believe that by choosing Fort Myers as their new home, they came to the right place. They want to make the City of Palms the

For the first time anywhere in the nation, a developer, builders, huge corporations and a power company are coming together to study the homes of the future. This month Innovation

The Innovation Way model park is testing the latest advancements in sustainable technologies and innovations. By Symone Strong Babcock Ranch, America’s first solar-powered town located north of Fort Myers, Florida, is taking

Most model home tours offer a quick, somewhat desultory peek at the garage. That’s not the case at Babcock Ranch’s Innovation Way: A look inside seven of the nine garages

Babcock Ranch has sold more than 2,000 homes and is on pace for another record-setting year. Recognized as the country’s 14th fastest-selling master-planned community in 2021 by RCLCO Real Estate

Solar-powered town attracting vibrant mix of entrepreneurs BABCOCK RANCH, FL – Babcock Ranch is bucking regional demographic trends with a booming, multi-generational population of year-round residents.  The rapid pace of

BABCOCK RANCH, FL – The extreme challenges of economic development in the face of a worldwide pandemic prompted the Florida Economic Development Council (FEDC) to add a new category to

Innovative robotic platform carts trash barrels to and from the curb BABCOCK RANCH, FL – The future of waste collection will be rolling out this fall at Babcock Ranch, when

In Florida’s business world, it’s not hard to find successful people who are good at making money. The real standouts, however, are those who go about their business with some

Solar-Powered Florida town recognized as “Game Changer” in 2021 Edison Awards Competition   Babcock Ranch, Fla. – People across the nation are talking a lot about the need for responsible

BABCOCK RANCH, Fla. (June 24, 2021) – Kitson & Partners announced that Babcock Ranch has reached nearly 1,400 new homes sold and surpassed 1,000 closings, with home sales at 1,386

BABCOCK RANCH, Fla. (July 14, 2021) – Babcock Ranch has jumped up 10 spots in six months to the No. 24 position in the country’s 50 top-selling master-planned communities of

Finn Farms proto-type greenhouse tames Florida heat & humidity to achieve year-round supply of fresh, local greens BABCOCK RANCH, FL – Finnish entrepreneurs seeking to ensure a sustainable food supply

Project-based curriculum empowers the workforce of tomorrow Babcock Ranch, Fla. – Today’s workforce must continually evolve to meet ever-changing challenges.  While a growing number of schools around the country are

Babcock Ranch breaks ground on Babcock High School and Field House   BABCOCK RANCH, Fla. (July 19, 2021) – Site construction is underway for the highly anticipated Babcock High School,