SANFORD, Fla. – If you’ve heard about a Costco coming to the Seminole Towne Center property in Sanford, that’s just the beginning of what aims to be the biggest redevelopment project in Seminole County history.
This week, executives from The Ardent Companies shared new details about the future of the mall, which will include plans to build an apartment building with 300 units nearby.
Brady Lessard, Sanford’s director of economic development, tells News 6 the public will start hearing about more retailers, restaurants, and lifestyle opportunities soon.
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“There are a number of those deals that have been inked and penned and are very exciting,” said Lessard. “I’ll leave it to the ownership to start announcing those.”
[WATCH: Daytona Beach Costco draws crowds at opening]
The Ardent Companies purchased 76 acres of the Seminole Towne Center site back in March, and shared that the redevelopment plans included new retail, multifamily, and a hotel.
News 6 obtained plans for the Costco in June that revealed room for a 156,454 square foot building, along with nearly 850 parking spaces and a fueling station. It would be one of the biggest Costco locations in Central Florida, with the closest existing retail center in Altamonte Springs.
The city expects work to happen in phases, starting at the southern end where the superstore will be.
“It’s a massive redevelopment,” said Lessard. “We are standing on a sea of asphalt right now, so this isn’t some beautiful green space and farmland that we are developing. This is land that is desperately in need of that revitalization.”
Lessard expects demolition to begin at the old Macy’s site, where the Costco will be, in the coming months.
“The only challenge out here is some of the elevation changes,” Lessard explained. “If you look at this mall, you’ll see there’s some hills here where they’ve moved dirt in the past. So, we’ve got to do some grade changes that will make that process much faster.”
Lessard said the mall’s new owners are working well with the existing Elev8, Dillard’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and J.C. Penny properties, which are separately owned.
A report shared by Sanford’s city manager in August also noted an “uptick in demand for existing space adjacent to Seminole Towne Center, as word of the global redevelopment has been confirmed.”
Lessard expects that in the next four years, the property, which currently has an evaluation of about $50 million, will grow to up to $700 million.
“It really will become a destination, not just for our neighbors to the south, but all the way north,” said Lessard. “Volusia County. Lake County. The demand is extremely high.”
After the demolition of the Macy’s building begins in 2026, more construction will follow as more retailers are announced.