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WINTER GARDEN, FL-Sembler Co. has cut a $9-million deal with the Florida Department of Transportation that clears the way for the St. Petersburg-based developer to break ground this year on its $100-million, 1.1-million-sf Winter Garden Village at Fowler Groves shopping center. The property is six miles west of Downtown Orlando.

State transportation department representatives confirm for GlobeSt.com that Sembler has paid its "fair share" of the estimated $55-million cost for widening State Road 50 (Colonial Drive) to six lanes from four. Now local and county governments have to find a way to come up with the remaining $46 million.

Sembler officials couldn't be reached by GlobeSt.com's publication deadline but City of Winter Garden staffers tell GlobeSt.com the developer anticipates completing the open-air, 175-acre project by late 2007, whether the road is widened or not. The road-widening project is planned between Good Homes and Avalon Roads. Winter Garden city staffers tell GlobeSt.com the city and the county are confident they can jointly resolve the funding factor before the center opens.

Area residents have opposed the venture from the beginning because of feared gridlock on State Road 50 and nearby roads from shoppers entering and exiting the center, as GlobeSt.com previously reported. To ease residents' concerns, Sembler reduced the size of the project from its original 1.6 million sf; promised to move the big-box retail section away from established neighborhoods; eliminated a planned 21-screen movie theater; and realigned Daniels Road.

Meanwhile, area retail brokers following the center's controversy tell GlobeSt.com Sembler's leasing team expects the space at Winter Garden Village at Fowler Groves to be about 90% committed by local and national tenants by opening day. Area brokers tell GlobeSt.com the average asking gross rent range for non-anchors at the center is running from $20 to $30 per sf, plus a percentage of sales.

Instant Insights /

GlobeSt.com UPDATE: $9M Road Work Deal Green Lights $100M Center

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