Plans for a Target-anchored shopping center two blocks south of Poinciana’s SunRail Station could fall apart if Osceola Commissioners uphold the recommendation from the county staff to reject the developer’s proposal for a suburban-style plaza.
The staff report found that the project, now dubbed Poinciana Parke, lacked the creativity and innovation needed to produce superior-quality design.
The county’s Development Review Committee upheld the staff recommendation for denial but also provided a set of conditions for the project that, if approved, would require a more urban-style development on the former Florida Bible College at the southeast corner of U.S. 17-92 (Orange Blossom Trail) and Poinciana Boulevard.
At issue is whether the county will even allow a big-box store at this location, and if so, will it allow 1-story buildings. The county and developer are also at odds over whether drive-thru restaurants are allowed, and if they are, whether the drive-thru windows should be located at the rear of the building.
The vacant 35-acre parcel is owned by Kissimmee developer Thomas Chalifoux, who also owns the SunRay Junction West development across the street, which is now home to Tractor Supply Co. and other retail and medical space under construction.
Chalifoux and joint venture partner Barclay Group have been working for over a year to get plans approved for the shopping center, now dubbed Poinciana Parke, calling for a 145,000-square-foot big box/grocery store surrounded by 12 commercial outparcels. County staff and the DRC are recommending approval for the Preliminary Subdivision Plan, but not for the zoning amendment that would set the development standards.
Barclay VP of Development Jerry Hart told GrowthSpotter the tenant has a viable location to replace the Poinciana Parke site, and they need an answer this month for the project to move forward.
“We believe what we have proposed to the County to be in accordance with the rights vested under the governing PD07-00052 for Poinciana Parke,” Hart said.
DRC Chairman Ray Stangle called a special meeting for Tuesday, so both the zoning and PSP could get on the Planning Commission agenda this Thursday and go to the County Commission on April 20.
“Regardless of the recommendation, we wanted to give the applicant the ability to move this project forward within the time frame that you requested so that you don’t lose the project or a major tenant of the project,” Stangle said. “And ultimately, the planning commission and the board of county commissioners will decide what’s best for the county in this area.”
Both staff and the DRC agreed that the project should be subject to a minimum 2-story building height, and that simply building a taller parapet on the building would not satisfy the condition. Stangle clarified that “if you have a 24-foot (tall) big-box, it needs to look like a 2-story building.”
The developer argues that the county’s position is inconsistent since it allowed construction of 1-story buildings right across the street at SunRay Junction West. Both projects have the same Employment Center land use and are in the county’s Transit-Oriented Development overlay district.
The DRC recommendation wouldn’t prohibit restaurants with drive-thru windows, if they are located at the rear of the building. The staff recommendation would have prohibited such users within the first 660 feet of frontage from the intersection of OBT and Poinciana Boulevard.
The staff recommendation also included a condition that the project must achieve a minimum of 535,000 square feet of non-residential, mixed-use on the site. Hart said the Barclay plan anticipates construction of around 353,000 square feet, which he believes is realistic for the market.
“Osceola County deserves a high-quality shopping center, and we are hopeful the project will proceed on this site, which has been vacant for many years,” Hart said. “We look forward to a positive partnership with the County and would love to begin construction in the near future.”
Chalifoux also owns 34 acres immediately north of the SunRail station with entitlements for mixed-use development with over 700 multifamily units. Georgia-based Flournoy Development Group was under contract for the first phase of the project, which would have included 319 multifamily units and 1 acre of commercial, but the developer pulled out of the project due to the county’s high mobility fees. Instead, the company chose a SunRail-adjacent site in Orange County’s Tupperware Heights Planned Development.
Osceola County currently has two Target stores on U.S. 192 in Kissimmee and the Four Corners area. The retailer has new stores in development in Lake Nona, Haines City, Wildwood and Winter Haven. In March, the Minneapolis-based retailer announced plans to invest $5 billion this year to support new stores and ongoing remodels, technology and supply chain investments. The retailer expects to open more than 30 new stores this year as part of its path to 300 new stores by 2035, while investing in over 130 planned full-store remodels.
Have a tip about Central Florida development? Contact me at lkinsler@GrowthSpotter.com or (407) 420-6261. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.
