The Orlando Diocese wants to build nearly 1,000 multi-family and senior housing units on its 59-acre property near the Sanford SunRail station.
Representatives of the diocese met Tuesday morning with Sanford officials to discuss the proposed project, which is still in it’s infancy.
Ray Bradick, owner of Maitland-based land development firm PKA Orlando, Inc., said preliminary plans call for:
- 840 apartments,
- 120 age-restricted units,
- 25,000 square feet of retail
- 15,000 square feet of office space,
- 600,000-square-foot elementary school with playground and ball field.
Bradick said the retail space would not include an anchor tenant, but smaller stores and restaurants.
The age-restricted residential units would most likely be senior, independent living units, as opposed to an assisted living facility. The units would be open to all, but would be marketed within the Catholic community. Bradick said a few units might be reserved for retired priests.
There is no timetable for building the school or the commercial part of the project, though Bradick expects to meet with nearby property owners in June.
The elementary school would be built next to All Souls church on the south end of the property closest to State Road 46, and the diocese would retain ownership of that portion of land and oversee construction of the school.
The multi-family, retail and office development is planned for the north section of the diocese land and would be sold to a private company to develop. A sale would return the property to the tax rolls.
The diocese will have to get approval from the city of Sanford Planning and Zoning board because the land has a pre-existing planned development (PD) agreement.
When the Catholic Church first purchased the property, church leaders intended to build a high school. Bradick said the diocese no longer plans to build the high school on the property because the church built a new $12 million campus in Daytona for Father Lopez High School in 2008.
Sanford, Fla. 