For years, the grassy, knotty southeast corner of Belle Terre Parkway and State Road 100 has been one of the county’s favorite recurring forest of political signs every election.
You can soon smack those signs goodbye as the hyper-visible corner lot’s 13 acres are about to give way to a commercial development that will ultimately number six businesses, including a gas station and a grocery store. The property will be called the Shoppes of Palm Coast and will give way to buildings, parking lots and a retention pond, but will still be framed in trees and grass.
The Palm Coast City Council this morning approved a re-platting of the property—what amounts to a redrawing of the property map in line with the developer’s plans, which split the property into separate lots—ahead of the coming development.
Clear Lake Holdings sold the property to Paradise Ventures Palm Coast LLC of Safety Harbor, Fla., a year ago for $3 million. That June the city’s planning board approved a master plan splitting the property into five lots totaling 60,000 square feet for commercial uses. Paradise Ventures plans to sell off all five lots to commercial entities that will be developing the tracts, planning officials told the city council this morning.
Three of the lots are under contract: Lot 2, which is not quite at the corner but fronts SR100, will be a Gate convenience store with 24 gas pumps, finally providing that area of Palm Coast a much-needed filling station. (Another station is planned for the corner of Seminole Woods Boulevard and State Road 100, further east.) Lot 3, to the east of Gate, will be an Aldi grocery store. Lot 4, at the southeast corner of the development, fronting Belle Terre Boulevard past SR100, will be a Tractor Supply Company store. The two other lots are projected to be non-fast food restaurants.(See the rendering below.)
The property will also include a common-area tract used for an internal access road, a stormwater management system and shared signage.
The five lots should generate about $770,000 in transportation impact fees, the one-time tax on new development that helps defray the cost of new “impact” created by that development on roads, parks, and other infrastructure.
The three lots under contract are expected to generate enough revenue to build two improvements: one is a northbound right-turn lane for vehicles traveling north on Belle Terre Boulevard and looking to turn east, or right, onto State Road 100, with pedestrian crosswalk improvements along the south and east side of the intersection. The second improvement is a new turning lane for southbound traffic on Belle Terre Boulevard looking to make a left turn into the development, at the southernmost point of the development.
B stone says
But when will the gas station at Seminole Woods be built? Looks like they just quit and planted grass instead. What is going on there?
Veteran says
We need some stores up here by the L and upper B sections. Now that the ramps are complete at the exit 293 overpass maybe we’ll get something.
Mark says
Just remember the consequences of more stuff.
Outsider says
I’m sure my wife will single-handheld keep Tractor Supply in business and I will be doing lots of overtime.
MARINA says
WE also need Whole Food Store in Palm Coast, and some non-FAST FOOD restaurants defen.
Minority Floridian says
Why does everyone encourage building on every inch of land? Are you too lazy to drive a few miles to gas and go!
getagrip says
I wonder why the “sign police ” never pull down political signs likey the do to people’s garage sale signs.
Anonymous says
How many grocerie stores do we need in a 2 mile radius? Just when the community started chomping at the bit for a Steak and Shake right there. Figures another typical ” Flagler ” mistake.
Sherry says
We are very happy to see Aldi coming to Palm Coast! Aldi and Trader Joe’s are owned by the same German company, Albrecht Discounts, although they cater to very different clientele. Chances are our community is not quite upscale/vegetarian enough to fully support a profitable Trader Joe’s, but Aldi is certainly a step in the right direction. It’s great to have an inexpensive alternative to Publix!
Outsider says
Minority Floridian, it’s the American way. You take an idyllic seaside community and you turn it into an over crowded crap hole like Palm Beach. You then get roadways littered with trash and cigarette butts, neon- lighted gas stations on every corner, and enough traffic to drive you crazy every morning and afternoon. What’s not to like? Oh yeah, and the important thing is you then get a tax base, which will then need a government to administer it, which will find itself with so much money it will need to get larger to figure out how to try and spend all that money (think Tourist Development Council here.). Administrators will gather around large oak tables, arguing about how to make the whole mess bigger. They will hire lawyers, who will need a large courthouse (oops, we already have that) to take their arguments to a higher authority. They will then need a place to eat lunch after discharging all that hot air, which will create low paying jobs, which they can then point to as evidence of their success. Where will that leave people who just thought this was a great place to live until all these innovators screwed it all to hell? We will be stuck in traffic at the corner of Belle Terre and 100, cursing all those people who are creaming their pants waiting to be one of the first lucky shoppers to bust into that new Aldi’s on the corner, dodging bullets as the gangbangers shoot it out for a new piece of territory. It’s called “progress,” my friend; it’s progress.
Howard Duley says
What Palm Coast really needs is to move all the citizens, excluding political types, up to Jacksonville. When that is done the air force needs to detonate a 50 million mega-ton hydrogen bomb right over the center of the town. That would cure all the problems of this hole.
Minority Native Floridian #2 says
I’m shocked they’re allowing a gas station in that area, it’s nothing but swamp land. I’m sure it’s a little dry now, but just wait for the rain & you’ll see standing water ,if you ever bother to really look. But heck, money is more important than the environment right? Shopped at Publix since it opened on Edgewater Drive in College Park, will continue to do so.
Jadobi says
Since Palm Coast is more a bedroom community than a busy city of industry, these are welcome businesses. I moved here from Volusia knowing what Palm Coast is. I still love it here. You can’t please all the people all the time, just some of the people some of the time. No one is forcing the naysayers to stay. We have it pretty dang nice here compared to many places within an hours drive.
I’ve read other comments about Aldi being a “ghetto” store and doesn’t belong in Palm Coast. If you are unaware of Aldi, research it a little. Most items are packaged for Aldi and manufactured by name brand companies, if that matters to you. It’s the same product. Aldi employs fewer people but at a greater rate than one at Walmart or Target would get. You may not find everything you need, but when you shop on a budget, it’s a great place to find many items.
Anon says
In regards to two posts, Whole Foods will never come here. They are extremely expensive (Who would be able to afford to shop there?) and found in big cities. Jacksonville doesn’t yet have one.
Aldi is a great alternative to the supermarkets and WalMart and Target. The prices are the lowest and they have a great Gluten Free selection. It is worth the drive to St. Augustine to save money. Glad they will be here.
Instigator says
We need a WAWA!
Bc. says
Outsider great post👍
Sherry says
WOW. . . Outsider. . . so sorry about your negative “everything”!! Sure hoping your life finds something, anything to bring you a tiny ray of happy sunshine.
happeningnow says
YEP Watched it happen again and again.
Just me says
I don’t get the negative comments of WHY build something, why NOT a this or that over what is being built, Blaming the County or City on what one looks to build on THEIR land. If you don’t want something built on privet land then YOU buy it and don’t build on it. SIMPLE.
Anonymous says
Make it big so when they fold we have lots of empty store fronts like what happened in the plaza in Bunnell across from the Post Office. When you live in Palm Coast you don’t want to drive anymore than 2-3 miles so going into Bunnell to shop will be out of the question.
neverwas says
I noticed too that the race Trac gas station suddenly halted. They had started, building materials were there. Then they all disappeared and then they spread seed and hay on the complete lot.
Dave says
More growth for a once small town. So where is the talk about a NEW SuperWally world going to occur off of 100.
Justin says
It sounds like a lot of the older folks that are posting here about not building up the area. I get it, you bought here expecting a retirement community. It’s not that way anymore and it’s not going to stay that way. Have you seen how many kids we have in the schools now?
We should also be considering this going forward when new businesses are thinking about coming to Palm Coast. It may not be the worst idea to consider giving them some tax breaks to build up the local economy. We can’t rely on the retirees and the housing market forever. Bring in some industry and let the local businesses thrive. But what do I know…
Dave says
More traffic more congestion but that area needs a choice for shopping. What about the Walmart that was going on hwy 100, what happened to that ?
Ron R. says
Actually Anon, Jacksonville does have a Whole Foods.
But I agree that the Palm Coast shopping population would not be able to sustain one here.
Anonymous says
The walmart was NOT to be built on SR100 but old kings that’s why P.C. rebuilt it from 100 to the entrance road of town center. after the crash WM decided to not build it or put on hold for a long while. BUT they are to build a sams club just off 95 at LPGA.
Outsider says
No worries, Sherry; I have plenty of sunshine in my life: my family, my country home with room to breathe, and great neighbors, to name a few. Needless to say, Palm Coast is not among my happy places; it used to be, but not anymore.
Layla says
Palm Coast appears to excel at EMPTY shopping centers and developments. Perhaps it is time for a moratorium? Or possibly a new council and county commission? All we seem to get are more DOLLAR STORES, empty nail salons and fast food restaurants..
That’s NOT how you grow a community. This place reeks of favoritism with all of its development projects. Just look at Town Center, the new Sheriff’s department and City Hall.
Just like Washington, you don’t listen to the voters. This isn’t working, time for a new Council and new ideas.
Aynne says
I am delighted to be getting a gas station on this corner…which is FAR better than seeing those darn political signs there..too many to read….what an eyesore. Frankly I’d like to see that kind of massive political sign grouping thing come to an end.. We will all benefit from all the places mentioned in the article…but it doesn’t state which non-fast food restaurants are coming? The only drawback I see is potentially a difficult traffic corner. However if it’s handled well by DOT shouldn’t be an issue either.
Ben says
Jobs are so plentiful and employment is going down because all the unemployed are now working at Dollar General’s. Can’t wait to move on up to work at one of the new shops.
Anon says
Thanks, Ron R! I wasn’t aware Jax had a Whole Foods. Too expensive for me. I hit up Trader Joe’s when I’m up there.
Joe says
Oh well who cares I’ll still do all my shopping in St Augustine. The town “center” is too far from my home and I don’t have to worry about red light cameras and speed traps in St Augustine.
Howard Duley says
We desperately need more fast food restaurants and Pizza shops. You can hardly find Chinese food or pizza or hamburgers. We could use Chilli’s and Applebee’s.
Sonny Rich says
These posts go back to April, when are these places going to be finished?
Old Lady says
That intersection is just looking for the next fatality. Hope the traffic patterns will be addressed.
Traffic Aware says
I agree about that intersection. I wrote a letter to the editor (PCO) about it months ago….and spoke about this intersection (along with two on Old Kings Rd) that are very dangerous.) at a county meeting. They finally addressed one of the intersections that now has a stop light, but Old Kings Rd NB and Rt 100, and Belle Terre NB and Rt 100 continue to need to be addressed. Very dangerous and the Belle Terre one is getting worse due to the added traffic at that location.
realitytime says
Could be worse I guess we could be Saint Augustine what a horrible place now
Picky shopper says
I am so excited to be getting an Aldi! It really is different to the surrounding competition. It has fantastic imported European goods, like chocolate and cake etc. The rest of the stories quality products for a far reduced price. Fruit and veg are always nice and fresh. It is a great store and you will save so much money!