Babcock Ranch

A new robot is laying the foundation for the future of construction in The Sunshine State. The Australian built Hadrian-X has the ability to nearly replace an entire crew and lay a home’s foundation in just one day. WGCU’s Jennifer Crawford made her way to Babcock Ranch to get a preview of the machine in action and how it could change the way homes are built in Florida.

A precautionary boil water issued communitywide Friday for Babcock Ranch has been rescinded.The community's Town & Country Utility Department issues boil water notices in cases where pressure in any part of the water distribution system has been reduced to zero, or a negative pressure, unless the zero pressure is due to an isolated water main break and the public water system can demonstrate that the integrity of the water system has been maintained.

When the wildlife corridor was envisioned, subdivisions with 10,000 houses and hundreds of thousands of feet of office space were not planned.

Renowned guitar player, singer songwriter and music educator Dave Isaacs, known as the “Nashville Guitar Guru, is leading Babcock Ranch’s inaugural “Musician in Residence” program. We talk with Isaacs about his musical background, his unique and personal teaching style, and his vision for the new program.

We're revisiting our conversation with developer Syd Kitson — the man behind the Babcock Ranch community — to reflect on the path he and his team have been on to make the dream of a Babcock Ranch community into a reality. Kitson was just named the 2023 TIME “Dreamer of the Year.” When developer Syd Kitson purchased the 91,000-acre Babcock Ranch in northeast Lee & southeast Charlotte counties in 2005 he said he was going to create a sustainable community and preserve most of the land. While many people were skeptical at the time, Kitson has gone on to build pretty much exactly what he said he would.

A system-wide boil water notice has been issued to the entire Babcock Ranch community due to a water main break by the entrance of phase two construction near Bluebird Trail.

A water main break prompted a boil water notice to be issued at the Babcock Ranch development on Thursday. That alert was rescinded Saturday.

A water main break has prompted a boil water notice to be issued at the Babcock Ranch development.

When developer Syd Kitson purchased the 91,000-acre Babcock Ranch in northeast Lee & southeast Charlotte counties in 2005 he said he was going to create a sustainable community and preserve most of the land. While many people were skeptical at the time, Kitson has gone on to build pretty much exactly what he said he would. About 67,000-acres became the Babcock Ranch Preserve, and more than half of the rest of the land has been preserved amidst the growing number of smart homes with high speed internet built to Florida Green Building Coalition standards. Mr. Kitson joined us on this show quite a few times during the early days of its development, long before groundbreaking and the first homes were built. We look back on the picture he painted back then, and how well it aligns with what's there today.

The Wilson Pigott Bridge was built in 1960 with a 50-year design life. Now state transportation planners are looking for ways to renovate or replace the lift bridge that serves a fast-growing part of Lee County. A stretch of State Road 31 also may have to be widened.