Lakeland commission agrees to sell building, garage to Publix for $20

For less than the price of a sheet cake but more than a chicken tender sub, Lakeland city commission agreed to sell Publix two properties downtown.

In February 1995, the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency signed a lease agreement with Publix for property at 321 S. Kentucky Avenue.

“At any time during the initial term hereof, or any renewal thereof, the LESSEE shall have the option to purchase the demised premises for Ten Dollars ($10.00) upon giving LESSOR sixty (60) days’ written notice of its intent to exercise such option,” the lease reads.

“If you remember in the 90s, it was a ghost town,” said commissioner Stephanie Madden.

Madden said the lease deal was meant to entice business to downtown.

“That really was a part of the strategy to rebuild downtown was to see if we could get an anchor tenant and Publix was that anchor tenant,” said Madden. “We can’t have coffee shops. We can’t have restaurants. We can’t have retail if there’s no one here to go to their shops and those retail establishments.”

Now, with plans to build an IT campus in downtown Lakeland, Publix has reportedly taken the city of Lakeland up on that offer.

At a city commission meeting this week, commissioners unanimously agreed to sell the Kentucky Avenue building to Publix for $10.

“They’ve been a good business partner. They’ve employed our people. They’ve provided good jobs, well-paying jobs,” said Lakeland city commissioner Sara Roberts McCarley.

In addition to the Kentucky Avenue building, the commission also agreed to sell the Orange Street parking garage to Publix for $10.

“It’s a building that was given to the city. It’s a parking garage that we’re losing money on and so this, it is a good deal for downtown. It makes sense,” said commissioner Chad McLeod.

City attorney Palmer Davis said in the meeting that the city loses $59,000 on the garage a year.

“This has been running at a deficit, so rolling it off of the city’s books really helps with that transportation account that we could use help with,” said Roberts McCarley.

Commissioner Madden said the city had to make the first move by offering Publix a good deal.

“Every time you go first and you take the risk, hopefully that’s going to pay off, but it’s always a risk,” said Madden.

Lakeland Gazette reached out to Publix for comment and has not heard back.