Wawa, 24 Hour Fitness to anchor new development in MetroWest

METROWEST Plans for a new shopping center have been finalized for the intersection of Raleigh Street and South Kirkman Road in MetroWest. 

The development has already been dubbed Kirkman Station.

For several months, Equinox Development Properties Inc. has been working obtain approval from both the City of Orlando and MetroWest to build a retail complex on the corner plot of land. “It was driven by Wawa because it’s a hole in the market for them,” said Ryan Stahl, Chief Executive Officer of Equinox Development Properties Inc. “We had been looking at it for a while.”

The Pennsylvania-based Wawa recently celebrated opening its 100th store in Florida, and has plans to open at least another 10 stores around Florida in 2017.

But Wawa wasn’t the only one to show an interest in the development. 24 Hour Fitness also plans to anchor the complex.

With more than 400 locations in 13 different states, the California-based 24 Hour Fitness is know for it’s fitness centers that are open around the clock.

Since both the fitness center and Wawa will be open around the clock, the location was also ideal for attracting students from Valencia Community College, which backs up to the development. Equinox Development estimated that about 29,744 students and 1,550 faculty and staff will have access to Kirkman Station.

“Having that many students next door was a big driver,” Stahl said. “We worked with Valencia, and we’re (creating) a path system of sidewalks that will encourage the student to walk through our development.”

In addition to the nearby student population at Valencia Community College, the intersection typically sees 70,000 vehicles pass through on a daily basis, a sizable volume that will boost the businesses at Kirkman Station.

Kirkman Station will feature 11,000 square feet of space, which has the potential to include a drive-thru restaurant. Stahl said they have the ability to expand to nearly 20,000 square feet of space, but right now there doesn’t appear to be a need for additional space in the development.

Right now, plans are being finalized with both the City of Orlando and MetroWest, but Stahl said they expect to break ground in March 2017.

According to documents from the City of Orlando, the development of Kirkman Station “is consistent with the city’s growth management plan.”

“MetroWest has been very supportive of this particular development,” Stahl said. “There should be a lot going on down there (next year).”

Kirkman Station is expected to open at the end of 2017.

Contact Brittany Gaines at [email protected].