Crews are making progress clearing and preparing a large development in Ocala that will feature the city’s first BJ’s Wholesale Club.
Located at 7030 SW 59th Avenue, the new BJ’s Wholesale Club is one of several components that comprise the large-scale Winding Oaks mixed-use development, which spans 960 acres of the former Winding Oaks Farm property.
The site, which is situated just east of State Road 200 and north of SW 80th Street, was previously owned by the late Eugene Melnyk, a billionaire and owner of the Ottawa Senators.
The land was purchased for nearly $32 million in July 2024 by KL Winding Oaks, LLC, an entity established by The Kolter Group. The real estate investment company and development firm is headquartered in Palm Beach County.
The same year, city officials approved the creation of the Winding Oaks Community Development District to facilitate the project’s infrastructure, which includes more than $80.1 million in water, wastewater, roadway, and stormwater systems.
When complete, the new community will feature approximately 2,028 single-family homes, 240 townhomes, and 888 multifamily units being built by D.R. Horton. Additionally, the community will feature 270 acres of retail and commercial uses along SR 200.
The development is actively being prepared, with crews seen operating heavy machinery and heavy materials, like drainage pipes, staged for installation.
The warehouse retailer completed its acquisition of the 12-acre parcel within the development on December 1, 2025, according to a statement issued by real estate firm Colliers.
The addition of BJ’s Wholesale Club to Marion County marks just the second warehouse shopping option for local residents. It joins a Sam’s Club that is about five miles north on SW College Road.
Outside of Ocala, the nearest BJ’s location is in Lady Lake. Both that warehouse, which opened in 2022, and the Ocala location are projects by Matthew Development.
A specific opening date for the BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ocala has not been confirmed.
What are your thoughts on the new BJ’s Wholesale Club and Winding Oaks development in Ocala? Share them in a comment below or, if you have more to say, write a letter to the editor.