City officials in Sanford, Fla., have confirmed that a new Costco location will open at the Seminole Towne Center as revitalization plans for the former mall site continue, reports WESH. Once opened, the new Costco will be among more than 30 such warehouse stores across the state, and the eighth in Central Florida.
A recent proposal shows that the Sanford Costco warehouse would be more than 156,000 square feet, making it among the largest of its kind in the Orlando metro area. The proposal also indicates a parking lot capable of accommodating up to 847 vehicles — 830 regular parking spaces and 17 for disabled parking. In addition, the proposal calls for the construction of “fuel facility” outside the warehouse store.
The Seminole Towne Center closed earlier this year and has sat vacant since, save for a few large tenants who have operated independently of the mall itself, including Dick's Sporting Goods, JCPenney, Dillard's and Elev8.
The plan is for the remaining part of the mall to be demolished and for a mixed-use project to take shape in its place. Included in those demolition plans is the old Macy's building on the south end of the mall, which will become the site of Central Florida's newest Costco, according to Sanford officials.
Brady Lessard, Director of Economic Development for Sanford, said the Costco will be a major draw for new, national retailers who want be a part of the revitalization.The goal, Lessard added, is for Costco to be open by the third quarter of 2026, with the demolition work to begin on the Macy's space this year.