Rich Knowland, the Lennar Corp. regional vice president who oversaw the homebuilder’s massive Orange County operations, has left the company.
Knowland announced his departure about a week ago. He is said to be joining another real estate business, though details weren’t known last week.
The departure was amicable, according to Lennar.
“Rich wanted to work more on his own, in a more independent role,” said Emile Haddad, chief investment officer for the Miami-based company.
Lennar has yet to name a replacement for Knowland. The homebuilder runs day-to-day operations out of its Aliso Viejo office under Chief Operating Officer Jon Jaffe and Haddad.
“We have a large number of very capable people here in Orange County” who could fill the position, Haddad said.
Knowland’s departure comes at a busy time for Lennar, which now is the county’s largest homebuilder. Like others, the company is wrestling with the housing slowdown. It continues building and planning homes in Irvine and Anaheim.
Lennar sold 443 homes here last year, primarily at suburban projects in Irvine and the former Tustin Marine base.
In all, Lennar plans more than 15,000 homes in OC in the next decade or so, including high-rise condominiums in Anaheim and about 9,500 homes at the former El Toro Marine base in Irvine.
The company is working with Irvine city officials to add more than 5,800 homes to its original Heritage Fields plans at El Toro, while cutting back stores and industrial space by 30% to 3.7 million square feet.
Elsewhere in the county, initial ground work continues in Anaheim, where Lennar plans about 3,000 homes and commercial space at the city’s Platinum Triangle project near Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
Near John Wayne Airport in Irvine, homes are starting to go up at the company’s Central Park West mixed-use development. About 1,400 homes are being built at the 43-acre site, including a pair of 14-story condo towers.
