SMR requests land use changes in Lakewood Ranch

In December, Schroeder-Manatee Ranch CEO and President Rex Jensen predicted one of the most important stories for Lakewood Ranch in 2022 would be the groundbreaking of Erickson Senior Living on Rangeland Parkway.

Jensen said he has been constantly asked by local residents about the chance of attracting such a facility so they would have options in case their parents had to move into an independent living facility.

That groundbreaking could take another step toward reality June 9 when the Manatee County Planning Commission considers a request to make land use changes for the Lakewood Centre Development of Regional Impact. The Planning Commission will then forward its recommendation to commissioners to be considered June 16. Both meetings have 9 a.m. starting times at the Manatee County Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave., W., Bradenton.

The multifamily units needed for Erickson Senior Living is the major part of SMR's request for land use changes that generally involve making way for more multifamily units in exchange for less retail and office space. The Lakewood Centre Development of Regional Impact is generally north of State Road 70 and south of State Road 64, and east of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and west of White Eagle Boulevard. It is approximately 1,593 acres.

The land use exchanges are:

• Switching 195,877 feet of retail space for 760 multifamily units.
• Switching 150 hotel rooms for 199 multifamily units.
• Switching 873,530 square feet of office space for 594 multifamily units.
• Switching 23,345 square feet of office space for 67 single family units.

Manatee County mailed the notice of potential changes to residents who live within the DRI and those adjacent to it on May 27. SMR followed with a mailer to explain the changes.

The mailer, prepared by Lakewood Ranch Development Vice President Suzanne Fugate, included, "As technology has advanced and more companies are allowing employees to work from home, which increased significantly during the COVID pandemic, there has been a significant decrease in demand for office and retail space. However, the demand for housing, including multi-family housing, continues to be in high demand in Manatee County, with the number of people moving to Manatee County continuing to increase yearly. Moreover, the specific demand for the proposed 1,200-unit senior living and retirement community has significantly increased for the greater Lakewood Ranch area as its population has grown and matured over the years."

The request also asks to increase the maximum heights (five stories to six stories) on Parcels I-2 and J-2, where two Erickson Senior Living buildings will be constructed. Those parcels straddle Newhaven Boulevard just south of its intersection with Rangeland Parkway. Fugate said Erickson Senior Living is considering a skyway over Newhaven Boulevard to connect the buildings. Erickson Senior Living will use 1,200 of the requested multifamily units on Parcels I-2 and J-2.

Some of the multifamily units obtained in the swap will be allocated to Parcel M (the former ice arena site) to serve as the second phase of the Ryan Companies apartment project. This will be just north of Rangeland Parkway and just west of White Eagle Boulevard.

The 67 single family units will take the place of 84 planned rental homes adjacent to Dr. Mona Jain Middle School on 44th Avenue East. These will be townhomes.

If commissioners pass the request, it will help seal a deal that originally was made between Jensen and Erickson Senior Living in 2007. Jensen had targeted the Catonsville, Maryland company back then because he deemed them to be one of the best independent living companies in the country.

However, the downturn in the economy killed that deal.