The Lake District (TLD) was introduced to attendees at a “sneak preview” tour this morning (3.24.18) in an area that will become the upscale community in Lakeland at I-40 and Canada Road.
The presentation was 300 feet south of the former Factory Outlet Mall in the meadow where the 160-acre mixed-use community will unfold in the next couple of years.
Despite cloud cover and a bit of a drizzle, the grass area filled with cars, and grown-ups, children and even some puppies came to hear about business and residential possibilities at TLD.
Principals of the project Yehuda Netanel and Maggie Gallagher of Gilad Development Inc and Shawn Massey with the Shopping Center Group were on hand to answer questions and explain the urban village of high-end retail and restaurants.
Commemorative gift bags were given to all and included limited edition Dinstuhl’s chocolate, a Lake District coffee mug, reusable shopping bag for The Stock Market and literature about the new community.
(The Stock Market is the first tenant to be announced for TLD and is a first-of its kind, only-in-Lakeland grocery store. The grocery will offer a range of products and in the summer there could be a farmers market on the waterfront. It will be owned by The Lake District.)
But when might this walkable community with lakes, tree-lined parks, housing and hotels actually open? Listen to Mrs. Gallagher and Mr. Netanel explain.
Mid-2020, said Mrs. Gallagher. “The next steps are to move one-half million cubic yards of dirt on the site and that will take 10-12 months,” she said. “You will see vertical and construction in 2019 and by the end of 2019, the first of the retail and out parcels along I-40.
“Into 2020, the housing will come with neighboring retail. So occupancy should be mid-2020,” she said.
Mrs. Gallagher noted there has been tremendous interest in the residential area of the property. “If you RSVP’d to this event, we have your information. We will reach out to you. We will get back to everyone who asked,” she said.
Mr. Netanel introduced the entertainers, noting a family connection. Grace Askew Shelton, the daughter of Mark and Rebecca Askew, was playing guitar and singing a brand of music she dubs “bluntry,” a mixture of blues and country, along with Carlos Tornes. Her father is president of Lakeland-based A2H, Inc. which is part of the design team for TLD.
And Food Truck “Yippie Trippie & the Porkstars” was on site offering four varieties of made-to-order grilled cheese sandwiches.
Link to the development: https://www.thelakedistrict.us/
Link to photo album: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOYp39YURE035ntlC5eQz1DBZM9M7vr7w7Lw_F1lA2Xy2BhC6ukbcvPplHsGcu6Mg?key=NlRTN2NmRHRaeDltNzhWRmZvc2xaTEZsX2tjVGN3
… Photos and videos by Jim Willis, Lakeland Currents.
