SAVANNAH, GA-Cincinnati-based North American Properties has begun construction on its 22nd Publix-anchored shopping center in the southeast. The 90,000-sf retail center will be situated on 16.5 acres at the intersection of Georgia Highway 144 and Port Royal Road.

The center will include approximately 15,000 sf of small shop space and four outparcels that will each contain approximately 5,000 sf of retail space. The architecture of the property will mimic the architecture found in the area, which reflects a turn-of-the-century Southern appeal.

The development is located near the 875-acre master-planned community Richmond Hill Plantation, which contains 1,100 housing units that are selling for between $350,000 to $450,000 and an 18-acre golf course. Publix is scheduled to open in spring 2007 with the completion of the shopping center expected by summer 2007. "[Richmond Hill] is an upscale community. They are the type of customers that Publix looks for," Ryan Joyce, director of leasing for North American Properties' Fort Myers office, tells GlobeSt.com.

Joyce adds that site work on the project began about a month ago and developers expect to begin placing footings for the building in September. North American is looking for a mix of national and local restaurants and retailers to occupy spaces at the center. "Once we break ground, that's when we begin our leasing efforts," Joyce says. "We're looking for tenants that want to become part of the Richmond Hill community."