A century-old Lakeland building that’s fallen into trouble times is being granted a stay of execution: It is no longer slated to be demolished.
The two-story brick building at the corner of North Florida Avenue and East Myrtle Street stands alone. The last remaining structure on the block, 701 N. Florida Ave., was most recently home to Lakeland Pawn & Gun. Though it’s exact history is a little uncertain, Lakeland Developer Gregory Fancelli said he is currently under contract to purchase the building for an undisclosed sum with an anticipated closing date in approximately two weeks.
“The building shouldn’t cost that much ― but it’s about saving it,” Fancelli said.
History of 701 N. Florida Ave
A tiled mosaic along the ground at the front entrance the building reads “Traders,” speaking to the building’s history. It was constructed the 1920s for Traders Furniture Store by Luther and Stella Humphreys.
Lakeland Public Library has a photo dated to 1925 in its Hinkley Studio Photography Collection showing the building in pristine condition, even though Polk County Property Appraiser’s records list the official construction date as 1935.
It’s seen better days. The building has been closed up during the COVID pandemic and has sat vacant for a number of years. It has over $179,000 in code enforcement fines from the city of Lakeland for failing to meet minimum maintenance standards.
Earlier this year in March, the building was sold to TWBF Properties LLC for $789,000, according to Polk County Property Appraiser’s website. TWBF Properties LLC is registered to David Hallock Jr., managed by Jordan Wolfe, according to Sunbiz.org.
Date with a wrecking ball
The new ownership quickly filed for a demolition permit with Lakeland on April 14, 2025. The permit was authorized the next day.
Word quickly spread, causing a public outcry. The building had been on Historic Lakeland’s Watch List, as it is not located in any of the city’s historic district but is believed to hold value.
Something sparked a change of heart. In a May 6 email to Lakeland code enforcement staff, Jordan Wolfe wrote, “We have received mixed feedback about our demolition decision and we’re considering a different alternative.”
Fancelli said he heard about the century-old building about two months ago, but wasn’t sure if the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency had a high interest in it falls within the nine-block area covered by their Mass Market Area Vision Plan.
Fancelli said upon research he found out the original owners, the Humphreys, also once lived in his current residence. It added a personal connection.
“I think there’s a good possibility we can work with the CRA and land they own around it to get some action going in that neighborhood.”
What’s the new future hold?
Fancelli said the first thing he needs to do upon taking ownership is fix the building up. There’s a leak in the roof and some code compliance issues to address. Fancelli, grandson of Publix Supermarkets founder George Jenkins, suggested the ground floor of the building might be an ideal retail space, particularly for food.
“It is a food desert in that area,” he said. “You don’t have a lot of commercial in the corridor; if we could revive that it would go a long way.” While the ground floor’s area of just under 3,000 square feet is generally too small a footprint for a Publix, he does wonder if Trader Joe’s might be interested.
Fancelli said the ground floor would be good for retail, he’s not sure about the Lakeland CRA’s suggestions that the building could be converted into office space. The second floor has a mezzanine, Fancelli said, creating a unique challenge.
“Office space doesn’t really work there, at least right now,” he said. “It could be something else like an events venue.”