Prime Outlet Expansion Decision Postponed
By Stacey Eidson, The Bradenton Herald, Fla.
Jun. 18–MANATEE — A scheduled presentation on the proposed $35 million expansion of the Prime Outlets-Ellenton was postponed until August to give the parties involved more time to work on the road improvements around the project.
Prime Retail, the mall’s owner, plans 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 widen the mall’s entrances.
But before Prime Retail can offer its expansion plans to the Manatee County Commission for consideration, it must resolve some land disputes with two nearby property owners: Benderson Development and Casto.
Manatee County Commissioner Amy Stein stressed to the attorneys for the outlet mall that the road improvements were critical for the future of the project.
“As appealing as an expansion of Gulfcoast Factory Shops may be, it is not appealing without a transportation solution that is brought forward simultaneously,” Stein said, adding that the county has already programmed dollars for the interchange improvement around the mall.
“The agreement was that the private sector would take on the responsibility for 60th Avenue East, so we would have a full solution for that transportation hot spot.”
Prime Retail was rescheduled to go before the Manatee County Commission on Aug. 19 at 1:30 p.m.
In other business Tuesday, commissioners discussed plans for an assisted-living facility in East Manatee.
Dozens of residents from Greyhawk Landing sent e-mails to the Manatee County Commission this week concerned about a proposed “group home” planned near the community’s entrance.
The e-mails ranged from fears of the creation of a homeless shelter to a drug rehabilitation center, said Manatee County Chairwoman Jane von Hahmann.
“The number of e-mails that we received, it was incredible,” von Hahmann said during a land-use preview meeting Tuesday.
Miles Gentry, a planner for the county, quickly set the record straight by telling a handful of Greyhawk Landing residents attending the meeting that the proposed 71,600-square-foot “group home” is an upscale assisted-living facility.
“This is not a homeless shelter,” Gentry said. “This is not a halfway house. There is not migrant farm labor housing. It is not a recovery center.”
Instead, Southern Senior Living of Clearwater is proposing an assisted-living facility near State Road 64, west of Greyhawk Boulevard, that will offer 160 housing units for a maximum of 213 residents.
The project is expected to be “the finest facility of its type in this area,” said Joe Grace, chief executive officer of Southern Senior Living.
“We are developers and operators of assisted living facilities. I can assure you, that is the only thing that we do,” Grace told the audience. “We build these facilities all over the state.”
Southern Senior Living chose the 13-acre property in East Manatee because of the area’s demographics.
“We actually target what we refer to as the ‘adult child,’ which is the 40- to 60-year-old children of our residents,” Grace said, explaining many of his clients will relocate to be closer to their children living in Greyhawk Landing or Lakewood Ranch.
Ken Kaufman, a supervisor of Greyhawk Landing, said he thought the concept of the project was a good idea after hearing the presentation.
“But I do have some concerns about the execution,” Kaufman said, explaining that the three-story facility near the entrance of Greyhawk Landing does not complement the neighborhood’s upscale appearance. “It is going to be very, very evident.”
Grace told the commission that he plans to schedule a meeting with the neighbors to discuss some of their concerns later this month.
Manatee County Commissioner Ron Getman said it would be wise to get the neighborhood involved as soon as possible.
“The fear of the unknown is a powerful force,” he said.
East Manatee desperately needs such an upscale assisted-living facility, said Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore.
“I know people that are having to give up their homes to go to Venice and Sarasota for these nicer, upscale facilities,” she said. “People pay between $2,000 to $4,000 a month to live in these places.”
Staff must review plans for the assisted living facility further before the commission can consider them.
Stacey Eidson, Herald reporter, can be reached at 708-7908.
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