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The last notices of commencement for construction were issued to Lennar in January. Ironically, one was for a sales office trailer.
Lennar is now embroiled in a breach of contract lawsuit with Boyd Development's JB Ranch Associates. Although Lennar pulled out, JB Ranch is moving forward with Ocala residential construction company Armstrong Homes, a frequent Boyd Development partner, as the primary builder.
Lennar officials would not comment on the decision to pull the plug on JB Ranch.
"It's impossible for us to keep up with the number of communities that are coming and going in our business activities," said Marshall Ames, the media coordinator for Lennar Corp.
Stretching over 479 acres between State Road 200 and Southwest 95th Street west of Southwest 60th Avenue, the JB Ranch property was once eyed for an upscale dude ranch resort in the 1990s. Plans for the 1,150 home retirement community emerged in 2004. When Lennar started pulling permits in late 2007, the plan was for Lennar to build nearly 900 homes and for Armstrong to also build there.
As the developer, Boyd Development funded site work, infrastructure and the extension of Southwest 95th Street. Marion County has an agreement to give Boyd road impact fee credits on home construction in JB Ranch for funding 95th Street. The lawsuit filed by Boyd's limited liability corporation, JB Ranch Associates, alleges Lennar walked away from a contractual obligation to buy more lots in the subdivision "with knowledge it will result in inducing others not to purchase lots or deal with JB Ranch in connection with the property."
Clerk of Courts records show a Pedro-based plumbing company, 4-H Plumbing Inc., filed a lien against Lennar Homes for allegedly not paying $2,820 of a $2,986 bill for a plumbing installation job on a house.
Right now, the front wall and the gatehouse are built at JB Ranch, and a few homes have sprouted up around the property.
Chris Armstrong, president of Armstrong Homes, said the plan is to sell 70 to 80 homes there by the end of the year. He said a handful already are sold and the first few residents could move in as early as August. He said Armstrong Homes will keep plans to build a clubhouse and community center for residents, and amenities such as a swimming pool.
The company would like one more homebuilder to join it in the community.
"That gives a nice variation so people have a choice of two builders and two products," he said.
Armstrong partners with Boyd on the development site so he also is involved in the lawsuit against Lennar, he said.
When Lennar's Central Florida executives met with local contractors last September about their construction site procedures, the residential construction market already were struggling locally and nationwide.
At that time, Eric Sergi, a Lennar division president for Central Florida, said the company had not considered walking away from JB Ranch as the market cooled because Ocala had a reputation as a great place for retirees.
One of the country's largest homebuilders, Lennar reported net losses of $120.9 million for the second quarter of 2008, which ended May 31, according to a PR Newswire release. That compares to a loss of $244.2 million during the second quarter of 2007.
To see more of the Ocala Star-Bannner -- including its homes, jobs, cars and other classified listings -- or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.starbanner.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Ocala Star-Banner, Fla. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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