The wettest winter season in recent memory has not stopped momentum for site preparation at The Lake District (TLD) Development, I-40 and Canada Road in Lakeland.
But the overall schedule has been pushed out a bit because of the rainy weather.
Developer Yehuda Netanel today (1.15.19) said, “Borrowing the U.S. Postal Service’s motto, neither snow nor rain nor heat stops our momentum. We continue with Phase 1 ground-clearing under the approved clearing plan.”
“On the dry days between the rain, our progress can be seen from miles around as the smoke rises from the burn pit of cleared saplings and brush. To ensure safety of people and equipment we must wait at least three days after a rain event so nobody gets stuck in the mud. Nevertheless, all of this should be completed by Feb. 15th.”
The overall schedule for the upscale mixed-used community has been impacted by the weather, said Mr. Netanel. “Phase 1 retail which includes The Stock Market will now be closer to mid-2020.” The opening timeframe had been the end of 2019.
The Stock Market is to be a unique-to-Lakeland grocery announced among TLD tenants which also include Gould’s Salon and Spa, Osaka Japanese Restaurant, Starbucks, Malco Theatres, Gloss Nail Bar, Brick House Fitness, Mojito’s Latin Restaurant, Crave Bistro, Crave Sweets and Hollywood Feed.
“The next step is the mass grading,” said Mr. Netanel. “We are taking the needed steps to assure that grading is done while minimizing mudflow and erosion.
“The future main street, Lake District Drive, will emerge out of the ground during February and March. Every section of the new road will be compacted surfaced with 10″- 12” of gravel for stabilizing the road in the event of further downpours.
“We have stockpiled 28,000 cubic yards of gravel, all of which came from the old mall that once stood here,” said Mr. Netanel. The site formerly housed the Factory Outlet Mall.
“After Lake District Drive is complete, we will move on to temporary seeding to stabilize other areas until late spring and protect against erosion. This process will minimize the project’s construction schedule which will resume after late April. 2019 got off to a great start and we are excited as we progress forward.”
The community is to surround a10-acre lake and waterways, according to Mr. Netanel. “Designed as an urban village, The Lake District is a walkable, luxurious community with elegant water features threaded throughout its five premier districts: Inline Retail District (high-end retail, grocery); Main Street District (chef-driven restaurants and cafes); Hotel District (two modern hotels, one with lake view); Pad Sites and Office District (65,000 sq. ft. of office space); and Residential District (assisted senior living, downtown-style lofts and single family homes).”
Link to TLD website: https://www.thelakedistrict.us/
… Photos by Jim Willis, Lakeland Currents
… Video courtesy of TLD
