GAINESVILLE, FL - Celebration Pointe, North Central Florida's premier mixed-use development, strategically located along Interstate 75 in Gainesville, announced that the 160-acre super-regional mixed-use development is gearing up to complete the second and final phase of its "Main Street" development. Cleveland, Ohio-based Cupkovic Architects, the master project architect of record, is preparing certain aspects of the development in anticipation of breaking ground by third quarter 2020. Site preparation for vertical construction is set to commence shortly.
Ralph Conti, Principal of Atlanta-based RaCo Real Estate Advisors and a Celebration Pointe Development Partner said, "The more mixed-use centric Phase 2 is, in many ways, an extension of the food- and entertainment-focused Phase 1 with the exception that this second phase will be multi-level, containing approximately 90,000 square feet of retail space, some 100 luxury apartments and flex-office space. Avison Young's leasing team has and continues to be actively engaged with a number of prospective tenants for Phase 2 occupancy. We are also working directly with a significant user that will anchor this phase of the development. We expect to make an announcement in the very near future. Barring any material issues, we will break ground on Phase 2 later this year and be open by October 2021."
Conti added, "Phase 1 of our Main Street contains a mix of many first-to-market restaurants and retailers as well as a highly engaging pedestrian area known as The Promenade. We are nearly 100 percent leased and thus far Phase 1 has proven to be a huge success. In addition to tenants that are already open for business, the following tenants are under construction and scheduled to open in 2020: Dave & Buster's, a nationally renowned restaurant with a technologically-advanced arcade; Prime & Pearl, an innovative, upscale steakhouse, seafood restaurant and oyster bar; Spurrier's Gridiron Grille, a celebrity-themed restaurant by Heisman Award-winning and legendary college and NFL football coach Steve Spurrier; Sensei Asian Bistro, an upscale Asian Fusion restaurant; and Skechers, a national retailer focused on American lifestyle and performance footwear. Along with the diverse retail mix, Celebration Pointe will soon be leasing the first of its 220 luxury apartments known as City Place. Initial occupancy in the first building, shown below, is scheduled for summer 2020."
The VUE, Celebration Pointe's signature townhome development, has been very popular with home buyers. Five of the six units in the model building, open seven days a week and shown below, have sold out. A second multi-unit building is well under construction and is expected to be available for occupancy in summer 2020. Plans for additional buildings are underway. The VUE is expected to contain some 86 townhomes as well as several detached, single family homes, one of which is currently under construction and will be available for occupancy summer 2020.
"This community is a fabulous addition to Gainesville," said Sandy Fackler, one of the first townhome owners at The VUE. "To me, it represents innovative growth in an upscale way. I come home feeling that me and my property will be safe. It's a beautiful location with a great vibe and positive energy. Everything is walkable and at the same time I have easy driving access to downtown Gainesville and I-75. It allows me to be anywhere with convenience. I'm also looking forward to watching my investment grow along with Celebration Pointe, and all the new elements that are on the way. It's becoming the hot new area in Gainesville."
As a thriving mixed-use development, Celebration Pointe has been an amazing partner and a great location for our theatre," stated Richard M. Grover, Vice President of Communications, Regal Entertainment Group. "Since opening in 2018 as part of Phase 1, the theatre has been a true success for Regal helping grow the moviegoing market in the northern Florida area. Gainesville is an important market for Regal and we're proud to offer our moviegoers a state-of-the-art theatre at Celebration Pointe, providing a wide variety of specialty food and drinks, luxurious recliners and cutting-edge technology delivering comfortable surroundings and cinematic perfection."
"We chose to partner with Celebration Pointe as the location for Hotel Indigo Gainesville Celebration Pointe because we believe in Gainesville as an emerging lodging destination in Florida as well as the live/work/play concept that Celebration Pointe offers," said Mitul Patel, Managing Principal and Chief Operating Officer of Atlanta-based Peachtree Hotel Group. "We believe that our selection of the Hotel Indigo brand, which touts the uniqueness of the neighborhoods in which each hotel is located, gives us an opportunity to lean into the distinctive personality of Gainesville and all it has to offer."
"Bass Pro Shops is very proud to be an anchor tenant in the Celebration Pointe development in Gainesville," said Katie Mitchell, Communications Manager, Bass Pro Shops Group. "The location fits our customers perfectly—allowing us to showcase our immersive outdoor store and offer our iconic outdoor brands, products, services and events for the hunting, fishing, boating and other outdoor enthusiasts in the area. As one of the first establishments to open in November 2016, we continue to see increased traffic to the area and to our location. We're very excited to see the ongoing growth and what Phase 2 will bring to Celebration Pointe."
"We could not be happier with the tremendous growth Celebration Pointe has experienced since we moved in almost three years ago," said Dr. Jamie McClave Baldwin, Infotech Consulting President. "This mixed-use development provides a community of restaurants, green spaces and shopping within walking distance for our nearly 300 employees to enjoy plus a hotel conveniently across the street for our clients. It doesn't get better than that."
Leslie Payne, Director of Marketing at Celebration Pointe added, "In addition to the unique and inviting atmosphere that Celebration Pointe provides, which many people regularly enjoy, we look forward to continuing to provide a memorable experience. This includes a variety of shopping, dining and entertainment options for the whole family."