SANFORD, Fla. – Cities across the country face the same challenge: how to revitalize their malls in a modern age? Most properties like the Seminole Towne Center sit empty — retail relics taking up prime pieces of real estate. For Sanford, the answer may be plans for a new Costco location, but city officials say that’s just the beginning for the old mall site.
News 6 Community Correspondent Catherine Silver spoke with the city’s Director of Economic Development, Brady Lessard, about how soon the public can expect to see change at the mall property.
Lessard said he expects demolition to begin within the next four months where the future Costco will be built.
"That Macy’s that you’re standing in front of right now will be demolished. It will be coming down to make room and make home for the new Costco. So, that will be the first time the public sees it," Lessard told News 6. “But then after that, it really starts getting fast. Some of the retailers that we’re speaking to and some of the folks that want to be out there will be in position very, very shortly thereafter.”
The official announcement about Sanford’s first Costco location was made in May at an International Convention of Shopping Centers event in Las Vegas.
“The reception was incredible,” said Lessard. “Really, really strong.”
Plans obtained by News 6 show room for a 156,454 square foot building, along with nearly 850 parking spaces and a fueling station. It would be one of the biggest Costco locations in central Florida, with the closest existing retail center in Altamonte Springs.
Lessard tells News 6 there are several companies waiting to follow in Costco’s footsteps, but no specific brands can be announced publicly just yet.
“I will tell you the brands that are lining up and that have made commitments to the overall owner of the mall, Ardent Properties, are going to shock people, excite them, and really bring life back to the Seminole Towne Center mall that we all loved over the years.”
In March, the Ardent Companies purchased 76 acres of the Seminole Towne Center property for $17 million, with plans to redevelop the site into a mixed-use retail, multifamily, and a hotel development.
The 30-year-old mall had closed before 4th Dimension Properties sold it. Retailers including Dick’s Sporting Goods, J.C. Penney, Dillard’s, and Elev8 remain open.
[WATCH video of our previous coverage of Seminole Towne Center]
"Costco is a huge draw, and that’s why some of these retailers, restaurants, and other folks that are lining up behind them to come into the market have followed," said Lessard. “Costco is very interested in Seminole County and that Seminole Town Center Mall location for two reasons. Primarily traffic. I mean, right behind you on I-4, you have 165,000 cars a day passing there. But more importantly and exciting to me is the demographics have changed in Seminole County. Household incomes are up. The number of households and the number of potential customers for that market have increased dramatically since that mall opened originally.”
Lessard says it’s part of why the property is poised for redevelopment and will be the largest redevelopment project in Sanford’s history.
“Not just a place to shop, but it’ll be a place to work. I mean, we’re going to bring jobs back to that site that have long since passed,” said Lessard. “There will be opportunities to work, shop, live, and play. All of the above. We’ve got restaurants that are lining up. We’ve got hotels. The Seminole County market has been very, very strong on the hotel front. So, there’s going to be a lot more components, but a significantly larger opportunity for the community to come together.”