Lakewood Ranch construction project expected to increase jobs, traffic

Stephen Racine stood in front of a freshly painted building and studied three decorative squares, each a slightly different shade of white, on its facade.

Above them, the names of businesses will be placed, and Racine wanted to pick the perfect color combination — one that will blend in, but at the same time stand out.

The perfectionism is creating more work for the project’s contractor, but Racine does not mind.

“It’s an important detail,” Racine said of the color choice for the seven buildings within Harrod Properties’ new Gatewood Corporate Center at Lakewood Ranch project.

As vice president of development for Harrod Properties, Racine said the company is committed to providing a quality product for prospective tenants, and ensuring it matches the character of the community.

The first of the seven buildings will open this week, although an actual tenant isn’t expected until Sept. 1. The first building will be 100,000 square feet. Another 60,000-square-foot building is nearly finished as well. Harrod plans to build 500,000 square feet of space over the next two years.

Harrod purchased 85 acres for the center for $3.5 million in December.

The project, at 3135 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., is just south of the plaza that houses Crowder Bros. Ace Hardware. It is light industrial, meaning it will target businesses that generally require a mixture of office and warehouse space.

GreyHawk Landing resident John Breiner, who owns Wolves Head Pizza and Wings just north of the Harrod Properties project, said the site is a hot topic among his patrons.

“They’re worried about the traffic and what types of businesses go in there,” Breiner said.

Breiner said adding light industrial to the area isn’t a bad idea because it will create jobs and add customers for businesses while also increasing the tax base.

Panther Ridge’s Torri Ginter said she and her friends, overall, worry about traffic increases communitywide, not specifically resulting from the project.

Mill Creek’s Shelly Gutowski said the project location makes sense for the type of use and will benefit the economy.

Greenbrook’s Nolan Nieman said the project doesn’t bother him, either.

“Anytime we can get new business it’s good,” he said. “It creates jobs and more of a community feel.”

However, Summerfield’s Doug Grice doesn’t like the feel.

“You start putting semis in here, that’s not a good thing,” he said. “There will be an impact (on traffic) and not to the positive. Traffic has increased a ton in the three years I’ve been here.”

Racine said truck traffic will vary by business with many needing one delivery a week, and that might be by FedEx-sized truck. Others might have a handful of truck deliveries a week.

Harrod Properties will be required to contribute financially toward a traffic signal at Gatewood Drive and Lakewood Ranch, a little north of the project, if Manatee County ever requires the signal.

Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh will be monitoring the project’s impact.

“I think it’s going to be less of an impact than people think,” she said. “We need to remember that this facility is not going to be heavy industrial. I think we’ll find the traffic brought into that area will not impact the residential homes. I’ll be looking very closely to make sure it’s not a major impact. I think it will be fine.”

Racine said Harrod Properties is taking extra measures to ensure the project is compatible in other ways. For example, the architecture chosen, with stonework on the building facade, is meant to resemble similar buildings.

“This is a gorgeous community,” Racine said. “They have design standards, and we have to adhere to those standards.”

Along the eastern side of the property, which abuts the Arbor Grand community, there is a 13-acre pond between the project and the property line. Harrod Properties is planting additional landscaping along the edge of the lake to improve buffering, and there already is an undevelopable wetland buffer that creates a visual barrier.

To the south, there is a conservation area that will remain in perpetuity, as well.

From a business perspective, Racine said the project is attractive because of its proximity to Interstate 75 and the availability of housing and employment.

Racine said his company is considering building in the future Collaborative Opportunities for Research and Exploration biomedical park project at the corner of State Road 70 and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

Kirk Boylston, president of Lakewood Ranch Commercial Realty, a subsidiary of SMR, said the project “fills a gap” in Lakewood Ranch’s business offerings.

“It will bring a whole new array of companies to the Ranch that we could not accommodate before,” he said. “It’s more of a warehouse-office user generally. It’s generally not heavy trucking at all. That’s a different type of building.”

The complex plans on housing about 50 businesses.

“I can’t really overstress how many jobs it brings to the Ranch,” Boylston said.