The State Road 200 Corridor, which runs 8.8 miles from Interstate 75 to County Road 484, was once home to one of the fastest growing regions of Marion County between the years 2002 and 2008. This stretch of land is approximately the size of Rhode Island, just to give you some indication of its size. While Marion County is known for its retirement communities and newer single-family home developments, this Corridor saw the development of seven large shopping centers, several drug stores including many CVS and Walgreens stores, dozens of national chain retailers, two hospitals and many restaurants.
Unfortunately, by 2008 when the recession hit, development came to a halt. Even though big anchor stores had just opened, business growth stopped and many smaller retail spaces remained vacant.
However, over the last couple of years, development along the State Road 200 Corridor has begun to pick up again. New businesses here include the Crazy Cucumber, Las Margaritas, Kirkland's and many more. This area of Marion County is now the fastest growing in the region and new construction and commercial property development are taking over the area. Ace Hardware, True Value Hardware, AutoZone and Southern Pig & Cattle Company now are open in the last year. A Walmart Neighborhood Market is coming soon as well as an Aldi supermarket.
What was once a lot of property with dwindling value is now prime real estate.
The economy and real estate market are picking up, and this is definitely an area to keep an eye on. You can read the full article at Ocala.com.
