As we told you last week, Ferg’s Depot has closed and been sold to new owners. We now know that those owners are none other than Rob and Joe Nunziata, of FBC Mortgage.
If that name sounds familiar, its because the Nunziata brothers were the team behind bringing the Walgreens to the Downtown Orlando in the historic First National Bank building.
A recent interview with Orlando Sentinel’s GrowthSpotter quoted the brothers as being inspired to bring a national tenant like Olive Garden to their newly acquired building but Rob Nunziata told Bungalower that was really just an example of what has historically done well in the Downtown core.
“I travel a lot, but I love Orlando. I want to give people a reason to visit Downtown and a national tenant would draw people here.”
– Rob Nunziata
The brothers grew up in Orlando and have seen Church Street in its prime. Since noticing that Ferg’s was for sale earlier this year, Rob Nunziata told Bungalower that he and his brother instantly expressed interest in the property, inspired by their hopes to install a tenant that could be a real draw for the district; hopefully in time to capitalize on upcoming developments like the Under-I public park, Lincoln Property Company’s Church Street Plaza towers, and the Magic Entertainment Complex.
Since purchasing the property, the brothers have launched a crowd-sourcing website, MakeOrlandoGreat.com, to ask Orlandoans what they would like to see brought to the historic Church Street Train Station. In a few months when votes have been tallied, the idea is to approach whichever national retailer has received the most votes with hard evidence from the public opinion poll of how many locals would patron a location if it were placed downtown.
There is no set deadline for the brothers to find a new tenant as they are hoping to find the best fit possible. That being said, they’re not looking to lose money on the site either, so we won’t have to wait too long.
An Eataly……………
The Chelsea Market foodhall concept would work in a larger building such as the chayenne saloon building. This is too small for that concept.I can see the chick fil a, a starbucks and the Farell’s ice cream shop ALL occupying that space. A cheesecake factory would be sustainable once hotel and Magic complex are finished. My dream for this building would be an EATALY.
Can it be a TJ Flats AND a Chick Fil A? They have the space to do both.
Pretty much all of those options are terrible. The last thing we need in that space is a national retailer.
Many of the options on that site are insulting. A Verizon store? An Apple store? That location needs to be a food hall!
Make sure you suggest that!