An agenda for the Sanford-Lee County Planning Department’s Technical Review Committee meeting on October 26 shows a proposal for an “entertainment venue” which would include a restaurant, a brewery, a hotel, and more on the current location of the former truck stop at 1054 N. Horner Blvd.
The agenda for the meeting says the proposal is for “redevelopment of a truck stop into a multi-use entertainment venue, featuring a hotel, restaurant, brewery, indoor athletic facilities and outdoor amenities, including pickleball courts.” The agenda notes that the property would require rezoning in order to be developed as proposed.
If developed as proposed, the venue would include 242 parking spaces. Existing buildings on the property would be converted for the restaurant and the brewery; the hotel would be new construction. Drawings also show an “event space” on the property.
According to the agenda, the committee will also review:
*A new housing subdivision on McMillan Lane (along Sugar Maple Road parallel to U.S. 1 north of Cedar Lane) consisting of 80 new homes on 76 acres,
*A new Dollar General store on South Horner Boulevard, across from the current location of the Lee County Register of Deeds,
*A Mako Express car wash at 2220 Jefferson Davis Highway. The fully automated car wash would replace the existing Harbour Car Wash that currently stands at the same location, and
*A Sanford Self Storage facility on Spring Lane behind the McDonald’s.
The Technical Review Committee is comprised of local officials from various city and county government entities representing Sanford, Lee County and Broadway. The committee meets monthly to review commercial projects and major subdivisions for compliance with the codes and policies of various local departments. Committee members make no guarantee that the projects submitted for review will be developed — only that they fall under compliance.
This an exciting proposal regarding the redevelopment of the old “Checkerboard” truck stop, however I think many in the community would be even more excited if this or similar developments included more family-friendly components like a nice new movie theater, skate/bike park (indoor or outdoor), and perhaps a replacement in-kind or specifically for our long-gone roller skating rink and bowling alley. In particular, long-time Sanford residents sorely miss the bowling alley, for not just bowling, for also for the all-American kid’s birthday bowling parties. An entire generation is now missing out on that tradition.
I think most residents are thrilled to see this ongoing investment in our community, and many understandably love the concentration of micro-breweries we are seeing here, and definitely would welcome additional restaurant choices; but I also think many would like to see a balance in proposals including additional family-friendly developments.
Would love to see something “family friendly” go into this space! But it’s good to see any improvements to vacant locations in the city.