SANFORD, Fla. – It’s been billed as a catalyst for downtown Sanford, but a major development still hasn’t started some six years since the city approved the project.
Heritage Park was supposed to bring new restaurants, offices and housing to a prime piece of real estate overlooking Lake Monroe in the downtown area.
Christina Hollerbach is the owner of Hollerbach’s German Restaurant, a staple in the heart of downtown. While her restaurant has expanded, she’s watched the Heritage Park property nearby sit empty.
“We never got boots on the ground, we never got shovels in the dirt, and this is almost seven years later,” Hollerbach said. “It has hindered the growth of our community waiting for this master project that is not completed.”
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The developer, Sanford Riverfront Partners, calls Heritage Park transformational for downtown Sanford. The plans include 28,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, 9,000 square feet of office space, and 234,000 square feet of residential space.
“That site is a transformational part of our downtown community, but they’re not the people to execute it,” Hollerbach said.
Sanford Mayor Art Woodruff says the developer inked a deal with the city in 2017 but has had trouble financing the project. He says that’s partly because the city owns the 5.5 acres and it’s been difficult for the developer to find funding without having any collateral.
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“When we were going through this, our main concern was we didn’t want to lose control of the property until we knew we got what we wanted,” Woodruff said. “We have waited patiently and are still excited about the project. We still like what they’ve designed.”
Despite the holdup, Sanford Riverfront Partners remains optimistic it’ll secure the financing in the form of a bond by adding an affordable housing component to the proposal. According to the updated plan, 47 of 235 units will now be dedicated for very low-income residents.
“Obviously, we need that kind of housing,” Woodruff said. “Whether it fits into this project is something we’re going to have to talk about.”
The developer will go over the bond financing and the affordable housing component during a public hearing at city hall on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Commissioners will have the final say on whether the city approves the bond but likely won’t take up the issue until its next commission meeting.
“I want a different developer with a different agreement that matches the needs of our community,” Hollerbach said. “They’ve proven they can’t get the job done. I want new people in here that believe in the quality of Sanford and want to build something that our community needs.”
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