SANFORD, Fla. – The beleaguered Seminole Towne Center has a new owner, just months after another group purchased the mall with promises of revitalizing the aging property.
The mall, which opened in 1995, once featured anchor stores like Macy’s and Sears, but those have since closed, with only Dillard’s and JCPenney remaining.
These days, the 1.1-million-square-foot mall is mostly empty, with a ghostly food court area that was once buzzing with hungry shoppers.
September 1995
Simon Property Group opens the Seminole Town Center.
May 2014
Simon Property Group sells mall to Washington Prime Group.
May 2018
Sears Holdings Corp. announces the Sears department store in the Seminole Towne Center will be closing.
January 2020
Macy’s announced it would close its store inside the Seminole Towne Center.
Dec. 15, 2020
Amye King, who was the director of planning for Sanford at the time, told News 6 that she was tapped by the city manager to bring ideas to the table about the future of the property.
The move came after majority owners of the Seminole Towne Center submitted a proposal that could get the property re-zoned for any number of ideas.
The owner of the mall at the time suggested a number of different options for repurposing the center, including a housing development, education center, medical building and storage facility.
“This is prime real estate for the city of Sanford,” King said.
March 2021
Washington Prime Group sells mall to Kohan Retail Investment Group.
Dec. 2, 2021
The Sanford Planning and Zoning Commission discusses changing how land can be used at the property.
The meeting came after the mall’s property owner brought an overhaul to the former Sears, which was scheduled to open as a two-story family entertainment center called Elev8 Fun.
“There’s all kinds of new things out there right now and it’s exciting to think what we could get, but we have to wait and see what actually happens,” said Eileen Hinson, the city’s director of planning.
February 2022
Elev8 Fun, a two-story entertainment center with everything from laser tag to go-kart racing to virtual reality games opens in the former Sears building.
Owners of the business said they hope to not only keep locals entertained but help revitalize malls with a growing number of vacant department stores.
“With Amazon taking over the retail market, there’s so many opportunities for us to convert these boxes,” Elev8 Fun owner David T. Goldfarb said.
Feb. 22, 2024
Shops in the mall were forced to close early after power was cut to the mall because of unpaid electric bills.
News 6 reported that technicians with Florida Power & Light switched off power to the building and signs were posted at entrances with a notification that the mall was closed.
“Disconnection for nonpayment is and always has been a last resort,” an FPL representative said in a statement. “FPL works with all customers, including the Seminole Towne Center in Sanford, to help them pay their electric bill, including payment plans. While FPL doesn’t take lightly the decision to turn off anyone’s power, we must treat all customers fairly given unpaid electric bills are ultimately paid for by all our customers in the form of higher rates.”
Feb. 25, 2024
The mall was able to reopen after representatives with the mall said the power was restored and “we will resume normal operating hours.”
Feb. 25, 2024
Workers and business owners inside the mall told News 6 that they lost money when the mall was closed after the power was shut off for a number of days.
Joe Staph said he lost about $500 during the closure.
“You’ve got do right by people. It’s not right what they’re doing. It’s people’s lives,” Staph said. “It’s kind of hard, you miss one weekend and it kinda messes everything up,”
May 16, 2024
Kohan Retail Investment Group, which had a controlling interest in Seminole Towne Center, sold the majority stake for an undisclosed amount to 4th Dimension Properties.
Felix Reznick, owner of 4th Dimension Properties, told News 6 that he was going to move quickly to revitalize the struggling mall.
Reznick said he wanted to lure a grocery store and a gym to the mall, but has not ruled out a movie theatre and restaurants.
There is even the possibility of housing built at the mall or close by.
“I want the highest and best use, so either there or the 13 acres across the street from it, we own that, too,” he said.
Sept. 17. 2024
News 6 learned that Gilbane Development is under contract to purchase the mall.
Brady Lessard, Sanford’s economic development director, said the 154-year-old company has big plans for the property.
“The thing I love about this company is they also have a very large construction presence here in the Orlando market,” Lessard said.
Lessard said Gilbane is purchasing the mall for cash
“This will be a total reimagining of the mall,” Lessard said. “This will be a regional draw, from a shopping, entertainment and housing perspective.”
Gilbane Development also has plans for a 200-300 apartment component, which will not be attached to the mall, but will have a pedestrian connectivity, according to Lessard.
“Everything from some of the biggest retailers in the country, to pickleball courts, to restaurant offerings. It’s a very, very comprehensive redo of the entire mall,” Lessard said.
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