Lakewood Ranch

LAKEWOOD RANCH

Lakewood Ranch is a master-planned community in East Manatee County owned and developed by Schroeder Manatee Ranch. It sprawls for 8,500 acres and is recognized for its upscale neighborhoods and manicured landscaping and ponds.

From the beginning, Lakewood Ranch has been on a quest to separate itself and become the county’s sixth city. The community already has its own town hall, post office, schools and exit sign off the Interstate 75.

Community officials are constantly developing centers to attract businesses, restaurants, entertainment and draw in patrons. For example, Main Street is a shopping district with a Scottish pub, theater and boutiques in the heart of Lakewood Ranch. Some of the developments have prospered while other grandiose ideas and plazas have struggled.

There has also been a marked resistance to growth, as Lakewood Ranch was marketed as a green community with beautiful landscapes. Traffic, cell phone towers are among controversial topics, leading to discussions about the effect they would have on residents, the environment and aesthetics.

Lastly, the community is not immune to crime, but accounts for a small percentage of activity in Manatee County.

Recent Articles About Lakewood Ranch

Bars, concerts, comedy, attractions and misc. listings
Published July 29, 2010
BARS SARASOTA BACALAO SPORTS GRILL BAR: Karaoke, 6:30 p.m. Thurs. / Hip-hop, 10 p.m. Thurs. / George W. Carroll Jazz Quartet, 6 p.m. Fri. / Caribbean Nite with Democracy, 10 p.m. Fri. / Shift Change, 7 p.m. Sat. / FJ One, 10 p.m. Sat. / Jazz Mania...
Another company, and its jobs, lured with incentives to Sarasota area
Published July 29, 2010
Life raft maker offered incentives to move from DeSoto
One good culinary tip leads to another
Published July 28, 2010
The recent column on mushrooms, plus the fact that local lawns seem to have erupted with them, had Allan Dornseif of Sarasota wondering if any are edible. I advised him to call the Sarasota County Cooperative Extension Service, but his request...
Business students get certifications
Published July 28, 2010
Braden River High School instructors William Gaynor and Daniel Crumpler have been giving their Business Academy students adult-level national industry certification tests in Adobe and Microsoft Office applications. To date, according to Certiport,...
Roper Industries of Lakewood Ranch buying California firm
Published July 27, 2010
Company expanding its software-as-service sector
Business Events
Published July 26, 2010
TODAY Joint meeting of the Sarasota and Manatee chambers of commerce, 7:30 a.m., Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, 7051 Wireless Court, Sarasota. Speaker: U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan. Chamber members may ask questions and find out what's going on in...
A growing company decides to grow here
Published July 26, 2010
Sarasota County scored yet another nice chunk of business expansion last week. As business writer Doug Sword reported, insurer Universal North America plans to add about 80 jobs in the next year as it consolidates its U.S. headquarters in Southwest...
Sports plays a major role in this region's economy
Published July 26, 2010
An hour before sunrise on a steamy weekday morning, Masters swimmers stretch in a light drizzle. The 60-year-olds look 50. The 50-year-olds look 40. They found that which Ponce de Leon could not: It's a fountain of youth, and it's 50 meters long.
Adams Homes is bullish on the region
Published July 26, 2010
Like so many other new home builders, Adams Homes of Northwest Florida was left holding a lot of inventory in Sarasota and Charlotte counties when the housing market started its swoon heading into 2006. But like few others, the Gulf Breeze-based...
Real estate people
Published July 26, 2010
BMK Architects Inc. of Sarasota has been selected by the School Board of Polk County to design a 115,000-square-foot elementary school in Mulberry. The campus will be a secure environment for students and staff, with gated entrances providing...
July 26: Transactions, foreclosures, etc.
Published July 26, 2010
Commercial Mortgages Listed in order are the mortgagor, mortgage holder, amount...
Brivik deals offer lesson about real estate boom
Published July 26, 2010
River Meadows is one of the best examples of how questionable deals were hashed out amid the money-hungry frenzy of the real estate bubble
Aurora Awards to local builders
Published July 25, 2010
Eight projects designed or built by Sarasota or Manatee county companies were presented Aurora Awards at the Southeast Building Conference in Orlando Saturday night. One of them, a ranch house by Josh Wynne Construction in Mission Valley Estates in...
Brivik deals offer lesson about real estate boom
Published July 25, 2010
River Meadows is one of the best examples of how questionable deals were hashed out amid the money-hungry frenzy of the real estate bubble
Community Bank names new president and COO
Published July 24, 2010
Community Bank of Manatee has named Kathryn "Katie" Pemble its new president and chief operating officer. Her responsibilities will include working with William H. Sedgeman Jr., the bank's chief executive, on developing the bank's long-term...