Massive development project hires president

Kitson & Partners named veteran town builder Rick Severance to lead the development of the new town of Babcock Ranch.

Severance most recently served as senior vice president of planning, development and operations for the St. Joe Company. He previously served as CEO of New Vector Limited, a consulting firm based in New York, and CEO of the Seaside Community Development Co. in the Florida Panhandle.

Construction has begun on Babcock Ranch, the new town on the border of the Lee and Charlotte County line. The new town will have as many as 19,500 homes and 50,000 residents when it's built out.