Midtown Development
Project
The Midtown Development Project is the agenda to create new residential and commercial buildings in the midtown region of Plant City, may still have a future as the city selected a contractor to oversee the plan at a July 20 meeting.
IDP Plant City Midtown, a collaboration between Solution Source and IDP Properties, was chosen by the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board to carry out a vision for the potential midtown attraction site. The team was one of six responders who presented ideas on how to construct the project, with the use of renderings. The responders were then narrowed down to three finalists and IDP Plant City Midtown’s proposal was most favored by the CRA.
Solution Source is a general contractor company based in Plant City and IDP Properties is a real estate development firm which has formed partnerships with cities throughout Florida and Georgia.
Mike Jemison, chief operating officer at Solution Source, has been anticipating the development of midtown, and said that it will also draw people to downtown.
“We’ll transform downtown into a whole new dynamic place that’s walkable, and people can really enjoy,” he said. “The quality of life is really something we’re focusing on and having restaurants and bars and shops…pet salons, and all the kinds of stuff people use on weekends where they don’t have to get in their car and go anywhere. They can walk down and have breakfast, have lunch, and later have dinner and a drink.”
The proposal calls for 400 residential units, 50 of which would be townhomes, and approximately 25,300 square feet of commercial space – all on 16 acres of land. The buildings would hold three floors, but there’s potential for four floors.
There are plans to have residents moving in before the development is completed, Jemison said.
Swimming pools and a dog park are several of the amenities that can be expected.
IDP Plant City Midtown plans to discuss with a nearby church, the idea of using some of its land as parking space. Helping to renovate and reconstruct the church is also on the table, Jemison said.
Having talks with CSX is being considered to make railroad-track improvements as they will be a part of the development at Evers Street and Wheeler Street.
As of the July 20 meeting, the CRA has given IDP Plant City Midtown and Plant City City Manager Bill McDaniel 60 days to negotiate a development agreement and be approved by the board.
The process could take 30 to 45 days and once finalized it will then move into the design phase, Jemison said.
Also, holding townhall meetings is being considered to get feedback from the community.
The plan will ultimately be brought before the city commission for a vote.
“We have a plan, we have the ability to execute, and we’ll work with the city, and it will happen this time,” Jemison said.
Wheeler Street Station
Wheeler Street Station, which will be built at the intersection of Wheeler Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, continues to move forward as receiving permits are underway.
This development will be situated in downtown and will consist of a mixed-use building with 16,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor as well as one-bedroom apartments on the second and third floors, and two-bedroom apartments on the fourth floor.
Solution Source is developing this project as well.
“I saw that property and actually looked at purchasing it prior to the city buying it, and the city bought the property,” Jemison said. “I had a vision for it and thought that would be a great catalyst and segue into midtown.”
The idea is to turn it into an entertainment district with shops, restaurants, and cafes that would operate during evening hours. The structure could have as many as 48 apartments, and depending on occupancy, may bring more than 100 residents into downtown, Jemison said.
He also sees an economic advantage with sales taxes and more employment opportunities.
“I would imagine that when the commercial space is filled out, it’ll employ as many as an additional 150 people downtown total.”