Developer planning $200 million mixed-use project along Lake Mary Blvd.

Near the corner of W. Lake Mary Boulevard and Longwood Lake Mary Road, sits a large patch of land which Orlando-based developer Unicorp National Developments Inc. hopes to turn into a mixed-use development.

“It’s a 35 acre piece of property [that has been sitting vacant there forever, and the parents passed away and the children decided to sell the property,” explains Chuck Whittall with Unicorp.

Right now, the land [map] looks like something you would find in a farming community and Whittall says that’s exactly what they want to model the development after.

“Lake Mary is a great area. It’s a great piece of dirt, and it affords a great opportunity. We expect to bring an organic grocery store there. We’re negotiating with a couple health and fitness clubs, restaurants and retailers, and we’re also going to have residential and apartments as part of it.”

Plans for the project include 300 upscale apartments in the complex.

“Lake Mary has a lot of good jobs coming there with all the growth, and we think there’s a need to do really nice high end apartment homes.”

Whitall says they’re expecting to break ground on the $200 million project early next year.

“It’s going to be a great project, and it’s going to be unlike the central Florida market has ever seen. We are really going out of our way to do something special there.”