A developer has submitted revised plans for a 4,500-square-foot liquor and tobacco store at the intersection of Interstate 75 and County Road 484 in Ocala, nearly two years after original plans were first submitted to county officials.
The revised plans for Liquor Lane were presented to the Marion County Development Review Committee during its regular meeting on Monday, August 11.
Marion County records show that the property is owned by Liquor Lane, LLC, and the project is being engineered by EDA Consultants of Gainesville. According to state corporate records, Liquor Lane, LLC was incorporated in May 2023 and is registered to Fevil, Bipinkumar, and Rajesh Patel.
In September 2023, the group submitted plans for the construction of the facility, which is situated in unincorporated Ocala, at the southwest corner of CR 484 and I-75. At the time, the layout showed that the building would be divided into a tobacco store that was 1,500 square feet in size, and a liquor store that was 3,000 square feet.
A rendering submitted with the plans in 2023 show the exterior of the building. Additionally, the rendering shows the drive-thru lane that would accompany the business. Over the past two years, multiple waivers have been submitted by the group to county officials for approval.
This month, the revised plans show a change in the layout, with the proposed tobacco store now encompassing 1,125 square feet and the proposed liquor store encompassing 3,375 square feet. The building would sit on a .52-acre site.
The area around the I-75/CR 484 interchange has been a hub of activity in recent years, with ongoing road improvements, SuperWash, Wawa, a reopened Popeyes, an apartment complex, and several other commercial and residential developments in various stages.
What are your thoughts on the new development proposed for the site at the I-75 and CR 484 interchange? Share them in a comment below or, if you have more to say on the topic, write a letter to the editor.