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Hotel, Retail, Rentals - All in Woodland Style
By Penny Fletcher penny@observernews.net
May 1, 2008 - 10:58:03 PM

Site Rendering

RIVERVIEW - People confused by the advertising of two projects on the same spot will be glad to know it’s really all one.

Alafia Crossing and Alafia Preserve are set to go just east of the Gibsonton-Riverview exit of Interstate 75 on land occupied until about nine months ago by the Alafia RV Park. There’s also a sign – almost buried by branches of the property’s massive oaks- for a Holiday Inn and another advertising retail space.

According to Larry Bauman of Sarasota, one of the two people in charge of sales and marketing on the 40-acre property, “Alafia Crossing” refers to the commercial portion and “Alafia Preserve” is what the residential section is called. But this Alafia Preserve is not to be confused with the 80-acre Alafia (land) Preserve owned by Hillsborough County that abuts the new development. 

“We call it the preserve because the area is a natural gift from God and should not be violated,” Bauman said. “We plan to keep the oaks and leave the natural setting so people will feel like they’re living in the city while in the country.”

Because of the unique site plan, the Crossing / Preserve has letters of endorsement from the local chapter of the Sierra Club, he said.

“Nature will take precedence here,” said Jeff Justice, the project’s other sales and marketing specialist. “It’ll be like living an urban lifestyle in the middle of the woods with all the natural beauty left in place.” 

Permitting is complete for the apartments and retail space with groundbreaking expected in 45 days. The first phase should be completed by January 2009. This includes 351units made up of 111 townhouse-style apartments and 240 “regular” apartments. This first phase will also have 40,000 square feet of retail shops and 20,000 of office space, Bauman said. Plans show that 1,200 feet of this will be waterfront and 3,000 feet will face the conservation area.

Original plans for the units were for condominiums but in October developer Rey Ortega of the Garrison Group of Florida, based in Tampa, changed the condos to rental units. “We moved into the final plans just as the sub prime issue reared up, indicating that the majority of the population is more likely to be renters in the future,” Ortega said. “The number of people requiring rentals is consistently way above the number of units available to them.”

Ortega’s online bio shows he has partnered with other architects throughout Florida to build many award-winning projects including Penrod’s Nikki Beach Club on south Miami Beach, the Feathersound Golf Course and Queen’s Harbor communities in Jacksonville and a half a billion dollars worth of other residential and commercial properties around the state. His background also includes designing the Lifestyle and Shapes fitness centers and Tampa’s Golds Gym.

As the Crossing / Preserve progresses, a Holiday Inn is also slated to be built. Sarasota-based American Hotel Development Partners LLC has permitted a 150-room hotel with a target completion date the end of this year.

The project also includes a nature pavilion; a separate Yoga pavilion; a boat ramp and a coffee house. Negotiations are currently under way for a fine dining restaurant as well, Bauman said.

Businesses who wish to learn more about the available space may call Justice Realty at (941) 228-1168.



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