Jerry Gunther and Derek Wallace, working with partners including FinFrock and Crossman, presented a concept for downtown Block 3 and adjacent parcels at the City of Eustis City Commission meeting on Jan. 16, 2025. The team proposed a mixed‑use build that would include retail, office and residential over three stories, and a parking garage designed to hold roughly 520 spaces to serve the three‑block redevelopment.

The developers said the downtown master plan’s parking estimate (about 220 spaces) is far below projected need if the blocks include a 100‑room hotel, a reception/convention space, retail and residential units. Using typical demand blends, the team estimated a peak need near 594 spaces and described arriving at a planning target of about 500 spaces; the current conceptual garage layout yields about 520 spaces. Gunther said the first projects will be the mixed‑use and the garage on Block 3, with residential on Block 2 to follow. Derek Wallace said the mixed‑use portion would be primarily three stories with retail on the ground floors, offices above and residential on upper floors.

Why it matters: downtown stakeholders said parking, walkability and tenant feasibility will determine whether the project can secure financing and private operators. Commissioners pressed the developers on walkability, the garage’s location and market demand; several said a parking structure in the center of the three blocks could harm pedestrian circulation and urged designs that screen or wrap the garage with active uses. Developers and commissioners also discussed timing for a hotel operator and the need to show “energy” on site before a hotel operator would commit.

Commission direction and next steps: city staff said the city manager is seeking information from potential development consultants and aims to have a consultant on board before the Feb. 13 workshop so the consultant can attend and advise. Several commissioners urged pausing major design work until the consultant’s analysis is available; others urged the development team to continue concept work so the commission sees progress. Developers said they expect site plans for all three blocks within six months and that hotel development, if it occurs, would take longer to begin.

Details and tradeoffs: the team showed multiple garage elevation concepts — including masonry treatments to match a downtown character and lower‑cost alternatives that rely on banners and other surface treatments. They described options to hide the garage behind mixed‑use buildings, and said the garage footprint could be adjusted from roughly 350 to as many as 600 spaces depending on the final program and financing. The developers said retail sizes are flexible and will be defined by tenant needs; they estimated roughly 80 residential units for one phase but cautioned that unit counts are conceptual. Crossman (a tenant‑sourcing firm) and FinFrock (garage designer/builder) were identified as partners.

Concerns raised: commissioners repeatedly returned to walkability and the placement of parking on the “outskirts versus in the middle” of downtown; several asked for a market/feasibility analysis to support assumptions about rents, vacancy and tenant demand before the commission commits to a specific parking footprint. Commissioners asked staff to obtain a consultant to test financing assumptions, walkability tradeoffs and likely tenant demand.

What’s next: staff will pursue a consultant engagement with the goal of having the consultant attend the Feb. 13 workshop. Developers will continue limited concept work and will return with additional designs for Block 2 at the next meeting. The commission did not take a formal vote on a redevelopment agreement or any development‑specific approvals on Jan. 16.

Ending: The commission and development team agreed to keep the proposal nonbinding while they obtain consultant analysis and refine site plans. The developers said they would return with more detailed materials for the next meeting and that timelines for hotel development remain contingent on operator interest and financing.