One of the largest homebuilders in the United States is lining up its ducks for a shot at developing Cape Coral’s troubled property known as The Golf Club.
D.R. Horton officials visited City Manager John Szerlag on Friday, March 11, and told him they are the contract purchaser for the 175-acre site at 4003 Palm Tree Blvd. They also told him they hope to build single-family homes.
Once the pride of the city, The Golf Club has been closed now for ten years. Some homeowners along the former fairways mow beyond their property lines to keep the overgrowth under control. Wildlife that manages to survive in urban settings has established homes there even though the property is ringed by single-family homes.
D.R. Horton has been named the nation’s number one homebuilder since 2002 by Builder magazine, published by the National Association of Homebuilders. The company had gross revenues of $8,657 million in 2014 and had 30,455 closings.
“I’m stunned,” said Mary Nielson, who started a grassroots campaign more than a decade ago to “Save The Golf Club.” The group continues to keep tabs on the now-defunct course and keeps its supporters informed at www.savethegolfclub.com.
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Don Ruane has spent over 30 years as a journalist writing on various topics around Southwest Florida. He currently serves as Senior Correspondent for CapeCoral.com and writes a weekly article that publishes every Tuesday. Don can be reached by email at druane@capecoral.com. Follow him on Twitter or on Facebook.