By Ken Storey
The Fresh Market's opening on July 31 also was the first glimpse of the vision for Mills Park. The development caused major shifts in Mills50, including the moving of Will's Pub from their original home, the closure of the Mills and Nebraska Lumber, and the closure of the holdout Lust Cash Transactors cash register store.
The 310-unit, 5-story apartments, The Gallery at Mills Park, will anchor the northern half of the property. The 24,000 sq ft The Fresh Market is the central focus of the one-story commercial development. It will take up the southern part of the property. The majority of the 72,000 sq ft commercial section should open by the end of this year.
Announced merchants for Mills Park include Chase Bank, Brass Tap, Giraffas, First Watch breakfast cafe, and a Segafredo Italian cafe. The buildings are now all up and are being quickly finished. Much of the landscaping has already been installed as well. The residential units on the northern half should open in 2014.
The surface parking lot is finished, but sections of it are still blocked off for the construction. The 227 space surface parking is designed with the pedestrian in mind. It offers easy access from both the Orlando Urban Trail and the sidewalks along Mills Ave., with lit and landscaped pedestrian only sidewalks slicing the parking lot in half. A small landscaped wall blocks the parking from Mills Ave as well.
The Fresh Market's opening on July 31 also was the first glimpse of the vision for Mills Park. The development caused major shifts in Mills50, including the moving of Will's Pub from their original home, the closure of the Mills and Nebraska Lumber, and the closure of the holdout Lust Cash Transactors cash register store.
The 310-unit, 5-story apartments, The Gallery at Mills Park, will anchor the northern half of the property. The 24,000 sq ft The Fresh Market is the central focus of the one-story commercial development. It will take up the southern part of the property. The majority of the 72,000 sq ft commercial section should open by the end of this year.
Announced merchants for Mills Park include Chase Bank, Brass Tap, Giraffas, First Watch breakfast cafe, and a Segafredo Italian cafe. The buildings are now all up and are being quickly finished. Much of the landscaping has already been installed as well. The residential units on the northern half should open in 2014.
The surface parking lot is finished, but sections of it are still blocked off for the construction. The 227 space surface parking is designed with the pedestrian in mind. It offers easy access from both the Orlando Urban Trail and the sidewalks along Mills Ave., with lit and landscaped pedestrian only sidewalks slicing the parking lot in half. A small landscaped wall blocks the parking from Mills Ave as well.
- Mills Park in Mills50 District Holding Community Meeting
- The Fresh Market Groundbreaking at Mills Park
- Will Brass Tap Be One of the Final Retail Tenants?
- Mills Park Construction Update
- Mills Park Update: The Gallery At Mills Park Now Under Construction
- The Fresh Market Grocery Store in Mills Park
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| The Orlando Urban Trail, on the left side of the photo, goes right along the side of the property, within hours of the opening the bike racks were already in use. |
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| Behind the retail that is attached to The Fresh Market a small outdoor area is featured with another much larger bike rack area. |
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| The Fresh Market as seen from the Orlando Urban Trail |
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| The Gallery at Mills Park apartment building is coming along |
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| The left turn only exit in the rear of the property was one of the things the community wanted before they approved the development. |
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| Large wood pieces help celebrate the lumber yard history of the property, also note the wall blocking the parking lot from the street. |
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| Looking west down Virginia Drive from Mills Ave |