New retail planned for East Manatee. Here’s what we know
It didn’t take long for Lisa Zimring to start receiving inquiries about retail and office space availability at the former Parrish Post Office located at 12355 U.S. 301 North.
The leasing sign went up last week, and she has received early inquiries from accountants, realtors and a woman with an idea for a gathering place with food and beverages.
Alan Jones, owner of Jones Potato Farm, bought the 2,000-square-foot red brick post office building in 2011 with thoughts of putting his offices there.
Ultimately, he decided to expand it into a shopping center by adding another 7,500 square feet of space.
That project is drawing to a conclusion, and weather permitting, should be completed by the end of October, Zimring said.
A portion of the new building has a 20-foot ceiling and the potential to serve as a fitness facility, among other uses, Ziming said.
“I am excited about it. It’s the first new project in that area,” Jones told the Bradenton Herald in 2016 as he was seeking his approvals from Manatee County.
“I think the community is excited about it, too. This is something really needed by the community, but I don’t want to create any waves before we have our approvals,” Jones said.
Several other East Manatee retail projects are in progress as well south of the Manatee River but closer than ever to Parrish, thanks to the Fort Hamer Bridge.
Warner Crossing, located near the northwest corner of Upper Manatee River Road and State Road 64 East adjacent to a new Wawa, has been envisioned since the late 1980s.
“For many years you saw more cattle along State Road 64 than people looking for fast food,” registered agent Bill Blalock said.
The 21.6-acre site is part of what was once Richland Farms.
“There is sufficient acreage to do a lot of different things,” Blalock said. “Putting in infrastructure is our role in that project, which is very close to wrapping up.”
He declined to identify the developer that would take the next step with the project, or what kind of businesses might locate there.
“With all the residential growth, that market is sure in need of services. I recently drove from State Road 64 to Parrish and Moccasin Wallow Road and that is an amazing drive,” he said.
Also planned about 1 1/2 miles west of Warner Crossing on the south side of State Road 64 is the RCCW Redevelopment PHS II Retail Plaza.
Three separate buildings totaling 45,304 square feet and 250 parking spaces are proposed on 7.31 acres at 9602 State Road 64 E.
The RCCW project is working its way through the Manatee County permitting process.
Both of the State Road 64 projects are located just to the east of The Landings at Heritage Harbour, which would bring 293,328 square feet of commercial retail space to East Manatee.
Developers went back to the county for an extension after their permit expired in April.
It has been widely rumored that a Costco would anchor The Landings, although the company declines to either confirm or deny those reports.
This story was originally published September 19, 2018 at 11:41 AM.