Walmart has plans to revitalize an old shopping development in southeast Ocala with a new grocery store, gas station, and two additional outparcels for other potential businesses.
A new Walmart Neighborhood Market will take over a former Winn Dixie location that closed nearly a decade ago at the old Cedar Shores Shopping Plaza, which has since become the Saddleback Square Shopping Center.
Earlier this week, representatives from WRS, Inc., a real estate development and investment firm, confirmed that the organization had entered into a ground lease with Walmart for the space, which is located at 3535 Maricamp Road in Ocala.
Site plans for the development are currently under review by city staff.
According to a memo prepared by city staff, the new development will feature a grocery store, a self-service gasoline station, and two additional outparcels.
On Monday, August 12, agents representing Walmart Stores East LP will present a rezoning request to the Ocala Planning and Zoning Commission to rezone a small portion of the development that will feature the gas station.
Regardless of the PZC’s recommendation, the request will be introduced to the Ocala City Council during its first meeting next month (September 3).
The Walmart Neighborhood Market is one of several recent additions in the area.
Late last year, 7-Eleven opened a new location near the intersection of Maricamp Road and SE 25th Avenue.
Shortly before that, OLA Drive-Thru coffee opened its second location in Ocala on Maricamp Road, just north of the Saddleback Square Shopping Center.
Across the street from the planned Walmart, Zoom Car Wash is planning to build its first location in Ocala.
In 2021, Starbucks opened a new location in one of the outparcels at Saddleback Square, and in 2020, Wawa opened a location right down the right.