The Commercial Real Estate Alpha Site

This time around we are looking at Lakewood Ranch, FL as it is annually one of the fastest growing towns in Manatee County and continues to define suburban life on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Lakewood Ranch is a planned community and census-designated place in southeastern Manatee County and northeastern Sarasota County, Florida, United States, consisting of approximately 31,000 acres (13,000 ha).^[5] It is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.

According to the 2020 census, the census-designated place had a population of 34,877

Video showcasing some of LWR’s highlights.

The History of the land (wikipedia)

The area originally was assembled in 1905 by John Schroeder as Schroeder-Manatee Ranch (SMR). The land was purchased by members of Milwaukee‘s Uihlein family in 1922 for ranch operations such as timber and cattle.^[5][8][9]

In 1977, the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority announced intentions to build a new airport near the Sarasota-Manatee county line about 10 to 20 miles (16 to 32 km) east of its current location, linking to future Interstate 75.^[10] The airport authority struck down the idea in 1985 and expanded the existing airport facility.^[11] The airport proposal and the construction of Interstate 75 resulted in SMR’s board of directors to pursue creating a planned community for the land.

In the 1980s, SMR designed a destination resort project called Cypress Banks. The project consisted of 1,800 acres (730 ha) and included 5,000 mixed residential units, three golf courses, and a 300-room hotel.^[9] The project and development of regional impact (DRI) were initially denied by Manatee County in 1987 but later approved in December 1989. The project never broke ground and SMR maintained vested rights to the land.^[9][12] The first neighborhood development, Summerfield, was built and completed in 1995.

Lakewood Ranch has some up and coming places that you should consider visiting if you are in this nexk of the woods.

Osteria 500 is a newer authentic italian restaurant. The pizza is fantastic.

I’m partial to Good Liquid, which is a fun, casual family place. The food is delicious, the brewery has lots of tasty beverages and there is an outdoor patio on the water along with an open park area for cornhole, games, kids, etc. Dogs are welcome in the outdoor areas as well.

Wolves Head Pizza & Wings – Hidden away little spot thats great for catching a game or just taking the kiddos for pizza!

Cooper’s Hawk is not technically in the original Lakewood Ranch, but it feels like the namesake’s sprawl extended a bit, albeit informally. Regardless, this is a great spot for some happy hour bites and wine.

Bob Gardner Park – I live near this park and am there quite often. It’s got everything. 3 Dog Parks, Dedicated playgrounds, soccer fields, open spaces, frisbee golf (full course).

Here is a great site to dive a bit deeper…

Lakewood Ranch, Florida has evolved from an agricultural track that straddled the Sarasota-Manatee County Line, just east of Sarasota and Bradenton to today’s award winning 7,000-acre master planned community encompassing all aspects of residential and commercial development.

The 17 villages that make up Lakewood Ranch offer a variety of lifestyles. From townhomes, single family homes and luxury estates, Lakewood Ranch communities share living space with dramatic landscapes of forest and wetland preserves full of native wildlife. Recreational facilities include Lakewood Ranch Country Club and Athletic Center, 54 holes of championship golf, the Sarasota Cricket Club, nine world-class polo fields and a variety of community parks, lakes and nature preserves.