Another Walmart for the Westside?

Over the last decade, more than $200 million has been spent to upgrade Collins Road to relieve congestion on Blanding and Argyle Forest Boulevards. Soon, it will even have its own interchange with Interstate 295. However, that interchange won't be alone. It appears that Fort Lauderdale-based Gatlin Development will be bringing a new Walmart Supercenter along with it. Here is a look at Gatlin's proposed plans.

Most likely, Gatlin's development won't be the last to sprout up at this new epicenter of commerce. The property Gatlin has targeted is one of two shopping center sites proposed by developer Thomas Dumas in 2010. At that time, Dumas proposed partially funding the widening of a nearby dirt road into a $4.7 million four-lane road connecting Collins Road with Youngerman Circle and Blanding Boulevard.  Under that proposed agreement, Dumas would help expand the road for the right to build a 285,000-square-foot shopping center on 41-acres south of Collins Road and a 150,000-square foot shopping center on 13-acres north of Collins Road.  Furthermore, the city also would pay the developer $375,000 to settle an eminent domain lawsuit over the land and waive about $4.4 million in fair-share money.

Development update by Ennis Davis