More housing units in downtown will help drive growth.
Last week, the City Commission of Plant City approved two alternate development plans proposed by Plant City Development Group LLC for the former downtown Plant City Post Office, giving the developer the flexibility to develop either of the two alternatives.
Plant City Development Group LLC officers Stephen Katz and Sandy Marks detailed the two plans, which will replace the previously approved development plans that the city commission green-lighted on Jan. 24, 2022. Both options will give the developer the flexibility to build either of the two alternatives at their discretion.
The plan will bring residential units to downtown (144 units for Option A and 156 units for Option B) featuring studio, one and two bedroom units, some with balconies, ranging from 548 to 996 square-feet. The project will feature ground floor parking spaces with additional parking on the second floor, an 1,800 square-foot swimming pool on the third floor, amenities throughout and an approximate 2,500 square-foot sky bar/restaurant on the sixth floor that will be open to the public with a dedicated elevating whisking visitors to the establishment.
The plans are similar in design with the exception of one having a crosswalk and units over Thomas Street and the other having an architectural feature but no access across Thomas Street connecting the two buildings.
The site, located at 301 W. Reynolds St., had been a U.S. Post Office (USPS) until it closed in 2013 due to health and safety concerns. The City purchased the property from the USPS in 2018.
“This is part of our overall plan to increase the number of people living in downtown,” said City Manager Bill McDaniel. “The more people you have in a residential setting in downtown, the stronger the downtown area becomes.”
Katz said the city’s support has been key. “The City of Plant City has been a great partner to work with on this project,” he said. “I’m excited to bring this project to Downtown.”
Mayor Nate Kilton pointedly asked the men what has changed since the first development plans were improved, especially in this environment of high interest rates, increased construction costs and skittish construction lenders. Both men noted the Federal Reserve has indicated rates have peaked. ‘We didn’t want to go into this transaction in an upward rate rising environment and knowing it’s peaked is really the key,” said Marks.
During the presentation, Katz and Marks estimated that it would like to break ground in the fourth quarter of 2024 with a construction timeline of 18 to 20 months.
“This will be our first project in Plant City and will not be our last,” said Katz. “Plant City has tremendous opportunity and we’d like to be a part of it.”
