SMR postpones Lakewood Ranch’s Waterside groundbreaking

Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch has postponed the groundbreaking for Waterside, its first major residential community in Sarasota County.

An invitation-only groundbreaking ceremony will be in mid-April.

The event originally was scheduled for 9 a.m. March 23.

SMR spokeswoman Lisa Barnott said the delay was because of scheduling conflicts.

The Waterside project, previously called the Villages of Lakewood Ranch South, generally runs from Interstate 75 to east of Lorraine Road between University Parkway and Fruitville Road. It is located immediately south of the Sarasota Polo Club and the Lakewood Ranch Corporate Park and will include 5,144 residential units surrounding seven large lakes. Approvals also include 390,000 square feet of commercial space, 90,000 square feet of civic space and hundreds of acres of preserves and wetlands on 5,500 total acres.

The first phase of construction will include about 775 units, primarily single family homes with some condominiums, across two parcels.