The owners of a property in northwest Ocala that was previously approved for a mixed-use development with 100 townhomes, 40 single-family homes, and 100,000 square feet of commercial space, are asking the county to allow increases at the site to 190 total units and 225,000 square feet of commercial space.
On Monday, the Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission will review a request from Castro Plaza LLC and Austin International Realty, LLC, to amend a previously approved planned unit development (PUD) for Martingale.
Located at 6850 and 6998 N U.S. Hwy 27 in northwest Ocala, the 43.62-acre site is comprised of parcels that were previously zoned General Agriculture (A-1), Community Business (B-2), and Rural Activity Center (RAC).
On July 31, attorneys representing the developer filed a PUD amendment seeking additional residential units and commercial space at the site.
In addition to those increases, the proposed amendment also requests a general reconfiguration of the space and modifications to access points. According to county staff, the current central access is expected to be limited due to “U.S. Highway 27 modifications.”
The new master plans submitted to the county show three different potential layouts.
The property in question is situated just south of Castro Plaza, which currently houses several businesses including Remington’s Steakhouse, Juniper Store, and Horse & Hounds Restaurant.
On November 19, 2024, the site was approved for the development of Martingale by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners. Before that meeting, the developer had originally requested a continuance that eventually was withdrawn.
The month prior to that final approval, the Martingale PUD was recommended for approval by the Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission. The PUD was first introduced to the Marion County Development Review Committee in September 2024.
Billed as a “family legacy project designed to create a distinctive sense of place,” the original conceptual plan for Martingale called for the construction of 100 townhome and 40 single-family homes, as well as up to 100,000 square feet of commercial space. The developer also previously indicated that the site would have an “Ocala Equestrian Vernacular architecture.”
The plaza and the land where the proposed Martingale development will sit are currently owned by Austin International Realty, Inc., a company based in New York that is registered to Bernadette Castro, who shot to fame as the “Original Child Influencer” and produced several songs in the 1960s. Castro is the former Parks and Recreation Commissioner for the state of New York and was also once a Republican nominee for Senator of New York.
The Marion County Board Planning and Zoning Commission next meets on Monday, September 29, at 5:30 p.m. at the McPherson Governmental Complex (601 SE 25th Avenue, Ocala).