National builder chooses SWFL for new unit, its fourth in Florida

National homebuilder M/I Homes is expanding in Southwest Florida, with a new Fort Myers/Naples division. 

The office, according to a news release, will join existing Florida M/I Homes divisions in Orlando, Sarasota and Tampa. M/I Homes is based in Columbus, Ohio. 

“M/I Homes has seen continued growth and success in its other three Florida divisions,” M/I Homes President and CEO Robert Schottenstein says in the release. “Our company is excited with the development opportunities available in the Southwest Florida market.”

Homebuilding executive Kevin Brown has been named president of the local division. Brown, with 17 years in homebuilding, mostly in the acquisition and development of residential communities throughout Southwest Florida, has an interesting backstory: He played baseball for the University of Miami’s two NCAA national championship teams and was drafted to by Atlanta Braves organization before retiring from minor league baseball in 2004.

Hammocks at West Port in Port Charlotte will be the first community to open in the new division. “The Hammocks at West Port community has received incredible interest for its location and six customizable floorplans, along with recreational amenities, including playgrounds, ponds and zipline course and nearby park and aquatic center,” Brown says in the release. 

Founded in 1976, M/I Homes has sold more than 140,000 homes. The Fort Myers/Naples division is No. 17 for the company overall.