Maitland approves downtown redevelopment plan

In the wee-hours of Tuesday morning, a room full of Maitland residents threw a small celebration more than a decade in the making. They hugged, clapped, patted each other on the back, sighed and shook hands. Six and a half hours after an overflow crowd entered Maitland City Council Chambers on Monday night, half of them finally had something to celebrate: news that a longtime downtown eyesore would soon be torn down, and mixed-use redevelopment would eventually rise from the ashes.

“Bye-bye, Winn-Dixie!” cheered resident Matt Charlan as the 3-1 vote came in from the Maitland City Council to approve a controversial redevelopment plan to transform the long-closed and deteriorating Winn-Dixie property and its neighboring New Traditions Bank Plaza into a six-story mixed-use apartment and retail space. Mayor Howard Schieferdecker recused himself from the vote, citing a conflict of interest as a stockholder of New Traditions Bank. Councilwoman Bev Reponen voiced the sole dissenting vote.

But half of those who originally filled the Chambers at the meeting’s start didn’t leave quite as happy. For the past month, a group of residents organized as the Coalition of Concerned Maitland Residents fought hard to have the now-approved Maitland City Centre project voted down and reevaluated. The group, led by resident Roxanne Johnson, collected nearly 1,000 signatures from residents on a petition protesting the proposed high-density development.

“These wishes need to be acknowledged,” Johnson said to the Council. “… [Maitland City Centre] does not meet the citizens’ wishes.”

The project will transform the block between Packwood and Horatio avenues sandwiched between U.S. Highway 17-92 and Independence Lane. The old Winn-Dixie property and the New Traditions Bank Plaza will both be torn down and replaced with a 220-unit apartment building, 42,000-square-feet of retail space, a 503-space parking garage, and a 41-space surface parking lot. Developer David Lamm said he hopes the development will bring the community together, giving them a centralized place in the sprawling town.

Of the nearly 50 residents who spoke at the meeting, the split between those for and against the project was nearly down the middle.

“Tonight is a turning point for our city,” said resident Diane Mills. “Maitland is going to change because of this vote unless we do something to stop it.”

Longtime resident John Peele said that change is a good thing when it comes to taking down the existing Winn-Dixie and rejuvenating the city’s downtown core.

“[David Lamm] is willing to invest in out city. He’s trying to make it better, not trying to make it worse,” Peele said. “He’s trying very hard to get us to spend our money in Maitland … Lets let Maitland grow up.”

There are two other proposed developments in the process of working their way through city boards, both of which would reshape the lots surrounding this Maitland City Centre project, including a three-story parking garage lined with office and retail spaces on the old city hall site. The Development Review Committee and Planning and Zoning Commission will both get their say on those before City Council gets a chance to approve or deny the plans.

Councilman John Lowndes acknowledged the long list of pros and cons associated with the Maitland City Centre project, but in the end said that the development is a positive step forward for the city and for this Council’s legacy.

“Don’t do it for tonight, don’t do it for five years from now,” he said in asking for support of the development, “do it for your kids.”