There are major plans for the former Sears site at Orange Park Mall.
The store closed in 2020, and its 189,796-square-foot shell and associated parking are being marketed as a multitenant building along with five outparcels by commercial real estate services firm The Shopping Center Group.
The St. Johns River Water Management District began reviewing an environmental resource permit application for the project March 26.
Such review often signals development progress.
Jacksonville-based Kimley-Horn is the civil engineer. As of April 21, the application was incomplete.
The district has 30 days from the application submission to request additional information. Kimley-Horn then has 90 days to reply.
Sears was among the original stores when the mall opened Sept. 24, 1975.
“This is going to change our front. Right now, it’s empty,” mall General Manager Randy Bowman said.
“Being that it’s our 50th anniversary, to have an announcement like that is huge. It’s 18 acres of our front porch.”
The mall sits on about 77 acres. The Sears property is separately owned.
Sears’ parent company, Transformco Properties, through TF Orange Pk LLC, bought its 18 acres at the mall for about $7.7 million in 2019 from Sears Roebuck and Co.
Bowman confirmed the Sears store and its former auto service center will be demolished.
Called Orange Park Plaza, a TSCG marketing flyer shows on a conceptual design that the defunct department store’s shell could be divided into four spaces from 10,000 to about 24,000 square feet along Blanding Boulevard.
TSCG’s plan also shows five outparcels, showing stores from 3,000 to 6,000 square feet, including two quick-service restaurants.
Assistant County Manager Chereese Stewart said in an email that the county is happy to see something new “coming to the Orange Park Mall.”
“It is one of the more successful malls nationally, and these new proposed changes would be such an enhancement,” she said.
“I’m sure our citizens are hoping to see some great new retail stores like we see at our newer town center–type locations.”
Clay Chamber of Commerce President Jon Cantrell said he was aware of the proposed changes.
“The Orange Park Mall is a Platinum Trustee Chamber member and very involved in the Clay community,” he said.
Cantrell said Bowman is a Clay chamber board member and has shared the news that the mall has signed several national retailers and restaurants.
Cantrell said he didn’t know which tenants were confirmed.
Clay County Commissioner Jim Renninger said he hopes national stores bring more mixed-use options to Orange Park, which is in his district.
“A major development as such needs a big anchor store that draws a variety of customers with persisting needs,” he said.
“A supermarket would be a great addition. Another would be a sit-down, tablecloth restaurant, which is in short supply in this area.
“Such stores of national or regional notoriety would not only serve the local public but would encourage specialty stores to relocate to this high-volume corner of Wells and Blanding Boulevard.”
A source with knowledge of the project said that at one time a national specialty grocery store, a 23,000-square-foot liquor store and a cosmetics retailer were in discussion to open there, but was unsure of the status of those stores.
According to the Transformco website: “Because at Transformco Properties, we believe that by constantly challenging the status quo, we can foster ongoing growth and improvement, ultimately allowing us to continue to make positive changes for communities while positioning Transformco for success now and well into the future.”
According to the Clay County Utility Authority, TF Orange Pk has not shut off Sears’ water and sewage service and is up to date on its payments.
