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Lakewood Ranch Wins FAR's 2005 ENVY Award

ORLANDO, Fla., September 2005 -- Lakewood Ranch, a master-planned conservation community located on 7,000 acres spanning Sarasota and Manatee counties, has won the 19th Residential Environmental Award from the Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR). The award, popularly known as the ENVY, was presented recently at FAR’s 89th annual Convention and Trade Expo in Lake Buena Vista. The ENVY award recognizes the residential and/or commercial developer who makes a significant contribution toward building in harmony with Florida’s sensitive environment.

As the 2005 ENVY winner in the residential category, Lakewood Ranch now has the distinction of being the only development to win FAR's ENVY awards in both the commercial and residential categories. It won the commercial ENVY award in 1999.

"Lakewood Ranch is very quality-conscious and patient in our planning," says Tom Danahy, president of LWR Communities, LLC, the developer of the community. "The company has been owned by the same family for over 100 years – it provides for continuity of ownership and continuity of management."

As part of the award criteria, the judging panel of planning professionals reviewed the development’s preservation of the land’s native flora and fauna, the blending of the community with its surrounding environment, common areas such as nature trails and playgrounds, family recreation and safety, streets, drainage, sanitation and more.

Judges praised Lakewood Ranch for preserving natural elements, including providing generous greenways, a 451-acre wetland preserve, a 110-acre nature preserve and 400 acres of man-made lakes. Developers also have restored a 2,000-acre conservation easement, which will be maintained in perpetuity.

In addition, judges noted that Lakewood Ranch has received "green building" certification from the Florida Green Building Coalition, which recognizes the development's effort to build homes that are more cost-effective to own and maintain and are friendlier to the environment. It is the largest master-planned community in Florida to earn this designation.

"Lakewood Ranch is a very pleasant place to live," Danahy says. "We have all the quality lifestyle aspects that residents are looking for and our commercial side also has developed and grown, which is very attractive because a lot of people can live and work in the same community. We have just under 6,000 homes but 8,000 jobs."

Realtors throughout Florida commend Lakewood Ranch for demonstrating that high-quality, environmentally conscious development makes good business sense.

The Florida Association of Realtors, the voice for real estate in Florida, provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation for more than 130,000 members in 68 local boards/associations.