Outlet mall expansion plan OK'd
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2008
By DUANE MARSTELLER
dmarsteller@bradenton.com

MANATEE --The Ellenton outlet mall's expansion plan now is one step away from winning approval.

It passed its next-to-last hurdle Thursday, when the Manatee County Planning Commission recommended the county approve a 136,000-square-foot expansion of Prime Outlets-Ellenton.

The "Main Street"-style addition would feature a Neiman Marcus Last Call and about three dozen smaller shops. The $35 million expansion would be partly built on a 25-acre addition to the mall on its eastern side.

Construction could begin in early 2009, with the first stores opening in the spring or early summer of 2010, said Giancarlo Filartiga, senior vice president of development for mall owner Prime Retail.

But before it can do that, the company will have to make numerous improvements to nearby roads, county planners said.

Among them:

• Widening the exit ramp from northbound Interstate 75 to U.S. 301.

• Adding turn lanes at the U.S. 301/60th Avenue East intersection.

• Widening 60th Avenue East between U.S. 301 and the mall's entrances.

The mall's proposal is expected to go before county commissioners for final action in early April.

Also Thursday, the planning board recommended commissioners approve:

• A preliminary site plan for a 12,000-square-foot expansion of the Rooms To Go store at 1400 Cortez Road W.

• A rezone of the Anchor Pools office site, 810 and 812 Experimental Farm Road, and a preliminary site plan for 18,012 square feet of office, warehouse and construction service establishment space.

• A preliminary site plan for a 119-home subdivision on 77.9 acres in the 17100 block of Waterline Road. Several residents opposed the project, saying it would overload Waterline Road with traffic.

Duane Marsteller, transportation and growth/development reporter, can be reached at 745-7080, ext. 2630.

http://www.bradenton.com/local/story/466175.html

This is certainly good news. I hope the traffic improvements will be worthwhile.

I remember when it first opened and there only used to be one turn lane to get off the highway into the road that led to the entrance. It used to take forever to get in. That place still needs some significant road construction before I think they should be allowed to build more stores.

This is certainly good news. I hope the traffic improvements will be worthwhile.

I second that Wslupecki:),
Our Tampa Bay friend,
Traffic improvements is a Must along I-75 and the surrounding area !!!:cheers:

Nice news Florida Future:),
Our Tampa Bay master and friend,
more updates please on this Mall in the future,
thanks !!!:cheers:

Prime Outlets expansion hits snag
Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008
By STACEY EIDSON
seidson@bradenton.com


MANATEE --Plans for a $35 million expansion of the Prime Outlets-Ellenton hit a potential roadblock Thursday.

Prime Retail, the owners of the mall, has proposed building a 136,000-square-foot expansion on the eastern side of the outlet that would include a Neiman Marcus Last Call and about three dozen smaller shops.

The developer was hoping that construction could begin as early as 2009, but the Manatee County Commission learned Thursday the outlet is having difficultly acquiring the necessary property for road improvements surrounding the mall.

As part of its agreement with the county, Prime Retail planned to widen the exit ramp from northbound Interstate 75 to U.S. 301, add turn lanes at the U.S. 301 and 60th Avenue East intersection and redesign the mall's entrances.

In addition, the mall intended to widen 60th Avenue East to seven lanes to allow better access to the outlet.

But Mark Barnebey, an attorney representing Prime Retail, told the commission that some of the private landowners along 60th Avenue East have not been willing to donate or sell, for a reasonable price, the necessary right of way needed to widen the roadway.

While reviewing Prime Retail's proposal to the county, Manatee County Commissioner Amy Stein was outraged to see the developer expected the county to have "sole obligation and expense" in acquiring the property needed to widen 60th Avenue East.

Prime Retail and the county have been working on this proposal for more than a year and the developer never suggested the county would have to pay for the property, Stein said.

"Well, guess what, we do not have the money in our CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) for this," Stein told Barnebey. "And that was not the conversation all of last year."

William Clague, assistant county attorney, said he received the information about Prime Retail's request at the last minute and did not recommend the commission approve the agreement as written.

"We don't know what the cost is," Clague said, adding that he has only heard that the asking price for the property was at least $500,000.

One of the main reasons Prime Retail requested the county handle acquiring the property is because the commission could exercise its rights of eminent domain, Barnebey said.

The commission agreed to consider Prime Retail's proposal April 22, but Stein warned Barnebey that the developer needs to come up with a different plan regarding the purchase of the property necessary for the 60th Avenue East expansion.

"I would suggest when it comes back, there are agreements lined up with the property owners," she said. "Because we don't have the money."

Stacey Eidson, Herald reporter, can be reached at 708-7908.

http://www.bradenton.com/business/story/508643.html

^^
:ohno:

I'm pretty sure in the past Manatee County has been more then helpful in the past to the Prime Outlets people, so I don't see why they should be forced to purchase the land for them.

Has there been any new news regarding the plans?