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Developer reveals plans for Kohl's

The preliminary plan shows a shopping center anchored by the retailer, with total of 161,890 square feet and 577 parking spaces.

By ANNE LINDBERG
Published September 16, 2006

SEMINOLE - Sembler has submitted a draft site plan for a shopping center anchored by a Kohl's department store.

The center, in the 4900 block of Park Street, will sit on about 25 acres that once housed a manufacturing plant for Silor Optical of Florida. Silor is a division of Essilor, a French company that makes optical products and supplies, especially corrective lenses.

Essilor will retain its recently expanded R&D Technical Center on 11 acres immediately west of the proposed shopping center.

Seminole senior planner Sharon Jarzen said the plans are the first stage in the development of the property. Once the city staff passes on the plan, the City Council will have to approve it.

The preliminary plan shows the Park Street Shopping Center with a total of 161,890 square feet and 577 parking spaces. Fourteen of those will be for handicapped parking.

The 98,165-square-foot Kohl's is on the northwest portion of the parcel just north of the Sears Service Center. Attached to the Kohl's are three retail spaces ranging in size from 7,150 square feet to 30,187 square feet.

On the east side of the proposed center is a 6,000-square-foot "Omni Building." Also abutting Park Street are three spaces for future development.

Access to the shopping center will be off Park Street and Sheen Drive, which abuts the property to the north. However, by the time the center is developed, Sheen Drive may have a new name - Essilor Drive.

The City Council was scheduled Tuesday to consider the street's renaming. Roger Fournier, manager of the facility at 4970 Park St., asked that the street be renamed to make it easier for people to find Essilor now that it will be hidden behind the center.

"With the demolition of the main building, and the pending sale of the property, using the 4970 Park St. N address is presenting some problems," Fournier wrote in an Aug. 21 letter to the city.

"Since we are actually located at the end of Sheen Drive and have no signage along Park Street, visitors are having a difficult time finding us. Even some of our critical deliveries have been late. ... We feel the problem will only get worse as the front property sale is completed and the redevelopment begins."

Fournier added, "We considered an address change to Sheen Drive; however, since we are the only facility on that street, changing the name to Essilor Drive may make it easier for our visitors to find us."

Fournier reminded the city that the company had just completed a $1.2-million addition to the remaining facility, which "shows our ongoing commitment to the city of Seminole and we hope you will look favorably upon this request."

[Last modified September 16, 2006, 06:30:39]