A big mixed-use project has cleared its first major hurdle at what is shaping up to be one of Marion County's busiest new interchanges. County commissioners on Tuesday, Oct. 20, unanimously approved a rezoning for a proposed 105-acre development across from the future Buc-ee's in Ocala, WUFT reported.
The property sits northwest of the future Interstate 75 interchange at Northwest 49th Street, near Northwest 44th Avenue. WUFT reports the project could include up to 535 homes, a 500-room hotel, restaurants, retail stores and office space. According to WCJB, the plans call for 450,000 square feet of shops, restaurants and office space, and the project, known as the 49th Street Gateway, combines two parcels into one development.
What's still unknown
Approval of the rezoning doesn't mean shovels are about to hit the ground. "We don't know what's going in here," Commissioner Craig Curry said, according to WUFT.
Before construction can begin, the developer must come back with more detailed plans. WCJB reports the next step is a master plan, which also needs county approval. No date has been set for that review.
Commissioners also agreed to remove truck stops and racetracks from the list of permitted uses on the property. WCJB reports the vote followed a unanimous recommendation from the county's Planning and Zoning Board the week before.
A horse-country welcome center
Developer Bill Kearns also proposed a visitor center showing off Marion County's horse industry and local attractions, possibly with a small barn where visitors could interact with horses, WUFT reported.
"Millions of visitors are gonna get off at that interchange to go to Buc-ee's and for no other reason," Kearns said. "Our goal is to provide a facility across the street where people can come in, they can see all of the wonderful things we have in Marion County."
Traffic and neighbors
Neighbors raised concerns about safety, traffic, trees and schools. "We're concerned about the safety," resident Charlene Chatham told commissioners. "We wanna know what is exactly going to happen."
Another resident, who gave her name as Ms. Clapp, said Northwest 44th Avenue "becomes a parking lot" and is the main way out of Ocala Park Estates when there's an accident on I-75. WCJB reports other residents worried about already crowded schools. "So the thing is, we're putting all this traffic, all this thing, out here and even our schools are at capacity here, so you're gonna add more students for those schools," Ocala resident Ed Calabello told the station, adding that the area "is not the right place" for a development of this size.
Amber Gartner, a traffic engineer who worked on the developer's traffic study, said about half of the project's traffic is expected to head toward the interstate. "So that really does mitigate a lot of the potential concerns about traffic," she said. WCJB reports project managers said the proposal went through the county's traffic impact analysis process and was approved.
Why it matters for contractors
A new interstate interchange anchored by a Buc-ee's is the kind of thing that changes the map for a region's builders. This rezoning puts up to 535 homes, a 500-room hotel and 450,000 square feet of commercial space on the table right across the road. If it's built out, that's site development, utilities, road connections, multifamily or single-family residential, hospitality and retail shell work, all in one place.
It's still early. The master plan will decide what actually goes where and in what phases, and that's when the real scope for bidders becomes clear. Contractors and suppliers in the Ocala area should watch for the master plan to come back before the county, and should note that traffic will be a recurring issue. Any approvals could come with road improvements attached, which means work for civil and paving contractors too.
With the Buc-ee's and the new I-75 interchange already in the works, the 49th Street corridor is likely to stay busy. Being ready when this project's master plan is approved could put local firms first in line.