REE Case Study: A History of Providing Analyses & Strategy Recommendations for Lakewood Ranch

The 8,500 acre Lakewood Ranch, part of the 28,000 acre Shroeder-Manatee Ranch, is one of the top selling master planned communities in the U.S. It is home to nearly 12,000 households and over 15,000 employees working at over 1,385 businesses. It is being developed by the Shroeder-Manatee Ranch, who describe it as “a collection of distinct villages and neighborhoods nestled within scenic natural surroundings, lively town centers, first-rate amenities, and new, custom and move-in ready homes of every size and for every stage of life.” In addition to the residential villages, golf course, clubhouses, village shopping areas and employment center, there are 150 miles of multi-surface trails, and 7,000 acres of lakes, parks and nature preserves for residents to enjoy. Those open spaces are also home to abundant wildlife including deer, gopher tortoises, river otters and sandhill cranes.

• In 2009 RCLCO was retained to prepare a market study and strategy for reinvigorating LWR’s residential product program. RCLCO analyzed the market and prepared a market segmentation strategy that identified opportunities to increase sales by at least 500 units per year, as well as add rental housing.
• In 2017 RCLCO was again retained to help plan the new Waterside Place, a lakefront town center where shops, restaurants and the performing arts provide a focal point for residents and the community.
• In 2018 RCLCO was retained to take a fresh look at the market and identify the optimal residential development program for the new Waterside Village of Lakewood Ranch, to complement the already diverse range of homes being offered in the 16 other villages. The objective of our study was to provide product segmentation recommendations for Waterside that best meet the opportunity presented by the land and the location and capitalize on market demand in in the greater Sarasota market area with differentiated product. RCLCO provided a forward-looking market study that fully outlined the market potential of Waterside, focusing on the property’s unique characteristics as well as the market dynamics of the region to inform a market segmentation strategy that maximizes absorption and value.