Lakewood Ranch timeline

1900 First home built in Lorraine Township near the current intersection of State Road 70 East and Lorraine Road.

1905 John Schroeder of Milwaukee assembles land as Schroeder- Manatee Ranch.

1922 Uihlein family, founders of Schlitz Brewing, purchases Schroeder-Manatee Ranch.

1960 Ranch operations expand beyond cattle and timber.

1978 Shell, aggregate mine opens.

1983 Initial planning for residential development begins.

1984 Mary Fran Carroll is named president of SMR.

1988 Braden River Elementary opens.

1989 Cypress Banks development of regional impact wins approval, paving way for Summerfield and Riverwalk villages. Meanwhile, John Clarke is named president of SMR, and Mary Fran Caroll is named CEO.

1990 Braden River Middle opens.

1991 University Place development of regional impact wins approval, paving way for the Corporate Park. Sarasota Polo Club opens.

1992 University Lakes development of regional impact wins approval, paving way for Edgewater Village, the Country Club and Town Center.

1994 Initial groundbreaking for Lakewood Ranch.

1995 Summerfield Village opens. First 50 residents recognized as community founders.

1996 Edgewater Village opens. Expansion of University Parkway begins.

1997 Country Club, Legacy Golf Course, Corporate Park and Out-of-Door Academy upper school open.

1998 1,000th home sold; Lakewood Ranch High opens; Lakewood Ranch receives award as best master-planned community in America from Professional Builders Magazine / National Association of Home Builders.

1999 Financial Park at Town Center opens. Lakewood Ranch Commerce Park announced. Lakewood Ranch receives Aurora Award as best planned community in the Southeast from Southeast Builders Conference. Ranch Station at Town Center opens. Riverwalk Village opens. Lakewood Ranch Braden River bridge opens.

2000 Market Square at Town Center opens. 2,000th home bought. Greenbrook Village opens. Private golf club and course breaks ground. John Clarke named CEO of SMR.

2001 Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club opens. Holiday Inn becomes first hotel to open at Lakewood Ranch.

2002 Cypress Links Golf Course opens. Greenbrook’s Adventure Park opens. Port Marnock’s second phase opens. First Jazz Festival. Rex Jensen named SMR president.

2003 MCC Center for Innovation and Technology opens. Digital Village launched. First Lakewood Ranch Medical Office building opens. McNeal Elementary School opens.

2004 Lakewood Ranch Medical Center opens. Town Hall opens. Nolan Middle School opens. Heritage Ranch, a 2,000-acre conservation area, opens. First housing east of Lorraine Road built in Greenbrook. Lorraine Road from Greenbrook Boulevard to University Parkway opens. Lakewood Ranch Boulevard four-laned between S.R. 70 and University Parkway. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine opens. Rex Jensen elected chief executive officer of SMR, replacing John Clarke. Residents take control of the first two community development districts.

2005 Lakewood Ranch Main Street opens. Willis Elementary School opens. John Clarke retires, and Rex Jensen named CEO of SMR.

2006 The Lake Club opens. Lakewood Ranch Herald launches.

2007 Gullett Elementary School opens. Residents take over control of all community development districts.

2008 Lakewood Ranch Post Office opens. Manatee Association of Realtors moves into new Lakewood Ranch Office. Lakewood Ranch Civic Association Civic Action Association commissions incorporation study. Dan and Corrine McClure Center, housing Chamber of Commerce and United Way, opens.

2010 Central Park opens. Plans for the Villages of Lakewood Ranch South approved by Sarasota County Commission. Lakewood Ranch begins Tag partnership with Microsoft. Movie studio announced for Lakewood Ranch. Fishkind study says incorporation feasible at Lakewood Ranch.

2011 Sports complex and apartment complex planned.

2012 Age-targeted community planned.

This story was originally published October 10, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Lakewood Ranch timeline."