The Gainesville Planning & Appeals Board (GPAB) is being asked to grant a Special Use for seven acres on Mabry Road by a property owner who says the economy has not been conducive to the original plans for the site. That, and the “massive” amounts of warehouse space going up along I-985.
“The applicant is requesting special use approval for a vehicle storage yard for trucks (truck yard),” according to GPAB documents. “The property was annexed in 2021 for an 75,000± square foot office and metal fabrication plant for Rack Systems Holdings, LLC. The property received a development permit in 2021 and has been graded and water vaults installed.”
The revised proposal includes the construction of approximately 76 outdoor truck parking spaces, the report says.
“The intent is to provide temporary parking for a nearby industrial company off of Centennial Drive and other industrial uses. The applicant states the long-term desire is to complete the development with a quality 70,000 square foot industrial building, hopefully within three to five years when market conditions improve.”
For its part, AP2 Ventures, LLC of Gainesville, in documents on file with the city, says it has already invested one million dollars earlier in clearing the site, grading for construction and installing water storage tanks for sprinklers.
It blames its inability proceed as originally planned after that initial investment on “the massive amount of vacant industrial sites being dumped in the market by out-of-town financiers all along I-985.”
The planning board is scheduled to consider the company’s request when it meets July 9.