APOPKA, Fla. – Bulldozers, excavators, and dump trucks have taken over a 215-acre property that’s expected to transform the northwest corner of Orange County.
Wyld Oaks, a massive mixed-use development that’s taking shape off State Road 429, will bring a mix of housing, shopping, dining, entertainment, and hotels to Apopka’s booming Kelly Park corridor.
Joesph Beninati, the developer behind Wyld Oaks, told News 6 that the project is ahead of schedule and ahead of budget.
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“People prefer to get up in the morning and be able to walk to do some shopping or to walk to be able to go to the gym,” Beninati said. “I think the last time we spoke I mentioned to you that I can see people not moving their cars for three, four, five, six days at a time.”
News 6 was there as the $1.2 billion dollar project broke ground in January. Since then, the former farmland has been cleared and crews have been working on critical infrastructure work under the surface. Beninati expects that portion of the project to wrap up by Thanksgiving.
“Right before Thanksgiving we’re going to see the first groundbreaking for multi-family and the first groundbreakings for the industrial buildings,” he added. “That then should create a tear of about five or six consecutive years of those types of groundbreakings that will occur every three to six months thereafter.”
At full build-out, which is expected to take the better part of the next decade, Beninati expects Wyld Oaks to offer between 3,000 to 4,000 total living units (apartments, condos, and townhomes), 280,000 square feet of retail space, 200,000 square feet of office space, 70,000 square feet of restaurant space, two hotels, walking trails and more.
Wyld Oaks is also working on a crowdsourcing initiative for dog lovers nationwide to help design “America’s top dog park.” Ultimately, Beninati wants the park — known now as BARK — to be a theme park for dogs and a gathering place for the community.
“This will be an opportunity to meet new folks who have moved here and make new friends,” he said. “We think their dogs will be an essential part of that.”
BARK will be part of a 10-acre nature preserve known as Yonder. The area is surrounded by century-old oak trees and is anticipated to be one of the more popular spots at Wyld Oaks.
“The overall development sits at a staggering 125 feet above sea level, which makes it sort of the Alps of Florida,” said Beninati. “Yonder sits all the way down, maybe 100 feet. We envision a lot of restaurants surrounding it, a lot of food and beverage, a lot of life and activity, so we think it’s the perfect place for the dog park.”
In the next five years, Apopka’s population is expected to grow by 6.1% thanks in large part to the nearly 13,000 homes that are coming to the Kelly Park corridor. With growth like that, demand for retail, restaurants, and entertainment will be high and Wyld Oaks plans to fill the gap.
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