Winter Garden Commerce Center slated for Story Road

WINTER GARDEN – A multi-office industrial park is heading to Winter Garden and will be situated on the southeast corner of East Story Road and Garden Commerce Parkway.

Four one-story buildings occupying 141,000 square feet will be constructed on the 9.65-acre property, which is estimated to host 10 to 15 tenants, said Wilson McDowell, the managing director of Cite Partners. 

“We’ve got a couple leases to tenants and a multitude of users, some are office, some kind of deal with more convention center and tourist-related industries, and we’ve got a manufacturing group,” said McDowell. “We don’t have any leases signed, so I can’t exactly say who they are but we’ve got a ton of activity on the project.”

The planned industrial development will also include site design elements, such as parking areas, sidewalks and landscaping. Its official approval is contingent on the successful vacation of utility and drainage easements on the site, which passed its first reading April 27 and is scheduled for the second reading on May 11.

McDowell expects the project will see a lot of demand, given its location and the market’s need for a higher-end industrial development that helps companies expand.

“We’re really excited about doing it in Winter Garden and we think it’s going to be a great project,” McDowell said. “… And so we’re super excited to be delivering it to Winter Garden. We think there’s going to be a ton of demand there.”

The first of the four buildings is expected for completion in October, with the rest to follow in November.

IN OTHER NEWS

• Commissioners approved the second reading of ordinance 17-07, which authorized the addition of 0.36 acres to the 1.15-acre Park & Plant townhome development. The addition of the 0.36 acres creates a total of 1.51 acres for the whole project and allows for the construction of 32 townhomes, rather than the original 24.
• A $32,500 financial contract was awarded to a consulting firm for the East Winter Garden Master Plan. The consulting firm must complete the contracted work by December 31.
• Winter Garden City manager Mike Bollhoefer lauded the upcoming development, Tucker Ranch, in a presentation. Bollhoefer announced the ranch received a $1.7-million grant to develop an organic farm, nature trails, playground, hydroponics garden, butterfly garden, permaculture garden and campground.
• Appointments to the city’s Planning and Zoning Board were postponed.

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Contact Gabby Baquero at [email protected]