Parrish spa, storage facility diversified for growth

PARRISH -- A physical therapy clinic and spa centered around a large indoor pool could be coming to Parrish in the next two years -- thanks, in part, to the booming storage industry.

A Manatee County couple plans to build the clinic and spa, along with vehicle, boat and RV storage and a car wash, on an increasingly busy section of U.S. Highway 301. The diversified development joins a mini storage and restaurant project the couple built in 2013 just a few hundred yards south.

Earlier this month, Reed Properties submitted plans to Manatee County that call for the construction of a 14,000-square-foot spa and separate car wash business in addition to a 60,000 square feet in storage buildings. The spa will house one of the largest indoor swimming pools in the area, a 75-foot-long body of water that will be the focus of an aquatics-based therapy practice.

Todd Reed, who co-owns Reed Properties with his wife, Gayle, said increased new home construction in Parrish and the nearing completion of a new bridge that links the community to the rest of East Manatee make the timing right for the project.

"It makes it a more viable central hub," Reed said.

Gayle Reed, a physical therapist, has operated a rehabilitation clinic, Realhab, at the nearby Ellenton Commons strip center for the past 16 years. The Reeds had considered building a new clinic and pool four years ago when they started their Parrish Storage development, but a downturn in the health and medical economy convinced them to wait. Instead, they built a 320-unit mini-storage facility and a restaurant building on acreage at the intersection of U.S. 301 and Fort Hamer Road.

The new facility supports their personal business agenda and fits into a couple of growing markets in the Par

rish area. Todd Reed said the future Realhab spa and clinic will be three times the size of the current one, triples staff and brings aquatic therapy that includes in-water bicycles and treadmills to Parrish.

When the new clinic and spa is complete, Realhab will close its current location and move into the new space.

The storage facility, which is largely geared toward large vehicles and trailers, is something he's had potential customers demanding for the past three years.

"We're getting two or three calls a day from people looking for RV and boat storage," he said. "We have a big waiting list."

Local storage market experts say little new storage inventory has been built in Manatee and Sarasota since the Great Recession. Demand for space is up and local storage facilities have been selling at a rapid pace to national companies. In February, Denver-base National Storage Affiliates paid $115 million to buy Manatee-based Hide-Away Storage.

Reed said construction will likely start on 11 acres of vacant property at 12159 U.S. 301 within the next two months. The storage facility could be finished by year's end. The four-bay car wash will be complete a few months later. Realhab's facility will be the last project finished at the site with a 14-month construction timeline. It could open just as the new Fort Hamer bridge starts funneling traffic across the Manatee River.

The Reeds are budgeting $5.5 million to $6 million for the overall project, including clinic equipment. Total employment between the existing and planned commercial properties is expected to be up to 16 at startup.

Reed said the Realhab clinic will draw several streams of users. In addition to physical therapy clients, its full workout gym and pool will sell aquatics and health club-style memberships.

Matt M. Johnson, Herald business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7027 or on Twitter @MattAtBradenton.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 11:43 PM with the headline "Parrish spa, storage facility diversified for growth ."