Mount Dora Business and Real Estate

MOUNT DORA MERCHANTS LURE SHOPPERS AFTER HOURS

6/11/2019

It’s a common refrain from folks strolling along downtown Mount Dora sidewalks after 5 p.m. They ponder why the vast majority of quaint shops close just as patrons arrive at local watering holes and restaurants to enjoy their happy hours and live music offerings.

Well, times may be changing, albeit in small steps. Downtown’s new merchant association, formed last year, will sponsor a new event dubbed After Hours Around Mount Dora in which many stores will remain open until 8 p.m. The event will take place on the second Friday of every month beginning on June 14 with some shops offering special promotions. If evening shopping is well received, merchants may opt to extend their hours with more frequency.

Crissy Stile, owner of Barrel of Books and Games, said her store will be hosting poetry readings by local writers beginning at 6 p.m.

“The newly formed merchant's association, run by and funded by your local merchants, is working on some very cool and fun new events for downtown,” wrote Stiles on her store’s Facebook page.

After Hours Around Mount Dora coincides with downtown’s free Art in the Alley event which features artists selling their creations and live acoustic music along Royellou Alley from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The alley intersects Fifth Avenue near Mount Dora Center for the Arts and JK Thai Garden restaurant. Most downtown galleries are also open for Art in the Alley including Painting Outside the Lines which features 17 artists. Participating galleries are open from 6 to 8 p.m.

After enjoying the art and shopping, customers can head to one of the many downtown restaurants and bars to enjoy their diverse fare, craft cocktails and regular lineup of stellar live music.

Check this weekend’s entertainment calendar for local live music. Sign up for the free Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates here. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.

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MONSTER DOUGH TREAT SHOP PLANS MOUNT DORA OPENING

6/1/2019

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Just a few more finishing touches and Mount Dora’s newest treat shop will be dishing out cold treats just in time for this summer’s scorching temps.

Monster Dough, a modern twist on an ice cream shop, will offer light and creamy “rolled” ice cream, as well as house-made edible cookie dough.

Customers can choose from twelve indulgent flavors of cookie dough including chocolate chip, birthday cake, oatmeal pie, peanut butter cup, macadamia nut, sugar cookie and cookie Some will be swapped out for seasonal or holiday flavors, according to co-owner Cara Fitch.

Five signature rolled ice cream flavors will be available daily, plus a create-your-own option. Not to worry, there is also hard scooped ice cream for traditionalists. Later this summer, Monster Dough will introduce its ice cream waffle tacos filled with rolled ice cream, scooped ice cream or cookie dough.

Monster Dough is expected to open at 18950 US Highway 441, Mount Dora, in early June, according to Fitch. Fitch and her husband, co-owner Ryan, also own nearby Modern Fit Nutrition in Mount Dora.

Sign up for the free Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates here. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.

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NEW RIB SHACK TO OPEN IN ICONIC MOUNT DORA LOCATION

6/1/2019

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The new BBQ spot opening in Mount Dora has a story behind it that is, literally, straight out of a movie.

Acme Rib Shack is prepping for a June opening in the former location of iconic Sugar Boo’s Bar-B-Que. The new co-owner, Ernie Mosteller, and pitmaster Scotty Clark have decades of BBQ experience and share a dedication to authentic, old-school Southern BBQ.

“We might be new faces to some of y’all, and there’s a new sign going up, but we’re not new to BBQ at all,” said Clark. “We can tell you how good it’s going to be and talk about it all day long, but the proof’s going to be in the food. That’s where we know we can deliver.”

Mosteller, a filmmaker and Mount Dora native, echoed Clark’s confidence. “I grew up standing in line for Mr. Thomas’ ribs in Eustis in the 60s and 70s. That formed an early love for BBQ. My career as a filmmaker has me traveling deep back roads across the South and I’ve been to every little joint I’ve run across,” said Mosteller.

After Mosteller and his wife, Sarah, bought the property, he knew Clark was the man to call. The team will keep things simple by just offering what it does best: ribs, pulled pork, chicken and coleslaw. In the future, they hope to bring in some live blues music to make the experience complete.

Mosteller and Clark met almost a decade ago, when Mosteller was drawn by the irresistible force of BBQ smoke into the yard of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Sorrento. There he met Clark, the pastor and head BBQ cook.

“Scotty told me the story of how the church was built and supported by selling BBQ on the side of the road,” says Mosteller. “I thought it might make a good human interest documentary. Then I tasted his ribs, and had to make the movie, even if it was just to hang around and get some more.”

ABOVE: Ernie Mosteller (left) and pitmaster Scotty Clark (right)

The documentary, “Faith Hope and BBQ,” released in 2014 and available on Amazon, formed a friendship and mutual respect between Mosteller and Clark.

Barbecue is all in the nuances, according to Mosteller. “Seasonings, time, wood choices and other stuff no BBQ man will tell you. It’s an art form.”

The opening of Acme Rib Shack, located at 1305 N. Grandview Street, brings a renewed business vibrancy to the Grandview Business District, which saw the closings of two local favorites, Ivory’s and Sugarboo’s, over the last year.   The team hope to be cooking up ribs for Mount Dora’s annual Juneteenth Celebration on June 22 in the Grandview Business District.

“I grew up in Mount Dora, I love the Northeast neighborhood, and I want Acme to be a centerpiece where everybody wants to be,” said Mosteller.

Acme Rib Shack is located at 1305 N. Grandview Street and will be open Thursdays through Sundays.

Sign up for the free Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates here.  For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.

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NEW CORNER EATERY TO OPEN IN MOUNT DORA

6/1/2019

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During the evening hours, the intersection of 5th Avenue and Highland Street is a hub for dining and adult beverages. Soon that uptown Mount Dora location, previously home to both a hot dog stand and a burger joint, will be home to a new casual restaurant. Fifth Avenue Streatery is expected to open on the corner across from Mermaid Juice and Jeremiah’s by the end of July.

The convenient location was previously a gas station that was later transformed into a walk-up eatery with outdoor seating., The menu offerings include favorites like flatbreads, gyros and fresh salads that include Mediterranean and Buffalo Chicken options. The owners, Eustis residents with hefty experience in restaurant management, will make all sauces and dressings from scratch.

Fifth Avenue Eatery will be located at 846 E. Fifth Avenue in uptown Mount Dora.

Sign up for the free Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates here. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.

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FROZEN YOGURT & BUBBLE TEA SHOP TO OPEN IN EUSTIS

6/1/2019

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What was once a mundane laundromat, will soon transform into Can’t Top This, a vibrant frozen yogurt and bubble tea shop in Eustis.

Bubble Tea, originally from Taiwan, is a frothy, cold drink made with different flavors of iced tea, specialty sweetened milk and black tapioca “pearls.”   Contrary to the name, there are actually no bubbles.

Enthusiasts and the adventurous can try one of the 25 flavors of milk tea including favorites like taro, Thai tea, mango and additional fruit flavors. Customers who aren’t big fans of tea can try the Popping Lemonades available in various fruit flavors that substitute lemonade for tea.

The small space will feature 10 different frozen yogurt flavors daily, many of which are proprietary blends, according to manager, Deanne Perry.   Can’t Top This will also offer tart, sugar-free and dairy-free yogurt options, plus Italian ice, gelati, milkshakes, smoothies and açaí bowls.

Can’t Top This is expected to open in June at 2810 Bay Street in the Planet Fitness shopping center in Eustis.

Sign up for the free Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates here.  For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.

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LOCAL FARM CELEBRATES SWEET CORN'S HARVEST

5/1/2019

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It’s a crop that’s usually associated with the Midwest, but spring marks the harvest season of Central Florida's Zellwood Sweet Corn. One local farm, Long and Scott Farm near Lake Jem,
celebrates the harvest of its Triple-Sweet Corn with the seasonal opening of its popular Country Cafe.

The Southern-inspired eatery at the 1,200-acre farm has a simple menu with eight regular items plus two soups and a daily special. The highlight of the menu is clearly their signature dish, farm-fresh corn chowder. The cafe is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Long and Scott Farm also harvests corn during the fall season which coincides with its annual corn maze. The sprawling farm also grows pickling cucumbers, kale, and both red & green cabbage, collards, plus sunflowers.

The Scott family now has a fourth generation involved in its farming tradition which has overseen the land for over 50 years. Long & Scott Farm and its Country Cafe are located at 26216 CR 448A, just 15 minutes south of Mount Dora.

Sign up for the free Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates here. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.

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NEW MOUNT DORA CAFE COMBINES DINING AND SHOPPING

5/1/2019

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Downtown Mount Dora is known for its diverse culinary offerings, but locals often flock to areas outside of the historic district for a quick meal. Now an address that has been home to various dining establishments over the years and recently underwent a complete makeover, is home to a new cafe.

Debbie and Estel Spurlin, owners of a commercial roofing business in Orange County, spent a good chunk of time and money thoroughly renovating the interior and exterior of a building they purchased on US Hwy 19A near Eudora Road. The Spurlins had planned to open a sub shop, but later decided to blend a restaurant with their forty-year hobby of hunting for nostalgic collectibles. The result is Unique Antiques and Eats, a 50-seat cafe, which opened last month for lunch and dinner. As promised in the name, the eatery combines light lunch and dinner fare with a small area of eclectic collectibles.

The limited menu features many standard favorites like a traditional club sandwich, Philly cheesesteak, and deli sub, as well as a turkey cranberry panini and five fresh salads. In time, Debbie plans on expanding the menu. Meanwhile, the restaurant also features an abbreviated kids’ menu, daily specials plus beer and wine.

The Spurlins aren’t done yet. They also plan to open an antique mall in the neighboring building. Unique Antiques and Eats is located at 3400 N. Highway 19A in Mount Dora.

Sign up for the free Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates here. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.

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MOUNT DORA TRAIN REACHES END OF LINE TOMORROW

4/19/2019

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For decades Mount Dora has seen passenger train operations start and stop for a variety of reasons. Inevitably, a new vintage passenger train always rolled in to fill the void. Train lovers are hoping that happens again after the train ceases its excursion rides to Mount Dora on April 22.

Government regulations require tracks that carry passenger trains be maintained to a higher standard than their freight counterparts. Officials at Central Florida Railroad (CFR) have determined it’s cost-prohibitive to maintain 100-year-old tracks to that high level, according to Pete Petree of Pinsly Railroad Company, the holding company of CFR.

The train operator, Royal Palm Railway, remains committed to the Tavares/Eustis excursion train. Last year the operator experienced strong growth in ridership as visitors rode the nostalgic train into Mount Dora from Tavares and used it as a shuttle into Mount Dora’s large festivals. Additionally, the operator’s Polar Express train and other themed rides have been very successful, according to Neil Bagaus, spokesperson for Royal Palm Railway. He estimates ridership during a 12-month period to be between 100,000 and 125,000.

After April 22, riders will still be able to catch the train at the downtown Tavares station and ride it into Eustis on Thursdays through Sundays starting at 10 a.m.

CFR will return the use of the Mount Dora/Tavares tracks to its main business of freight and storage. Meanwhile, government officials in Tavares and Mount Dora will study the feasibility of resurrecting a passenger train on that section of track or converting it to a trail.

Sign up for the free Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates here. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.

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DOWNTOWN MOUNT DORA BUILDING QUICKLY GOES UNDER CONTRACT

4/17/2019

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ABOVE; 334 N. Donnelly Street went under contract today

Well, it didn’t take long. In fact, it only took four days for eager buyers to snatch up the perfectly located building and parking lot located at 334 N. Donnelly Street in downtown Mount Dora. The asking price was $2.5 million.

RELATED: Downtown Mount Dora Building Goes up for Sale

The buyers, Michael Ross and Peter Burgess, are not new to Mount Dora real estate. WIth the help of their hard-working agent, Dawn Williams, the couple has made several savvy real estate investments in the city over the years that include the two-story building next door, previously The Lost Parrot, and the building across the street that features successful tenants like Las Palmas Cuban Restaurant and Mount Dora Olive Oil Company.

The acquisition of 334 N. Donnelly Street along with the narrow private alley between it and the former Lost Parrot building allows Burgess and Ross to expand their recently announced Mount Dora Marketplace concept to almost 9,000 square feet, making it more comparable to Plant Street Market in Winter Garden. The anxiously awaited marketplace is scheduled to open by the end of this summer.

The forward-thinking threesome plan to connect the 4,500 square-foot marketplace at the corner of Donnelly and Fourth Avenue to the 4,400 square-foot building under contract by enclosing the alley to create a walk-through beer garden. So far, 12 carefully curated artisanal food vendors from 72 applicants have been selected for the two-story building. The smaller building at 334 N, Donnelly Street will feature some of the quality vendors that couldn’t be accommodated in the original space.

“We have the most amazing vendors ever!,” said Williams, who along with Ross and Burgess, painstakingly vetted the businesses according to their quality, variety, vision and existing following in order to build a well-balanced community inside the market.

Mount Dora Marketplace will be anchored by The Filling Station a craft beer bar. Other businesses already committed to space inside the market are Nosh deli, White Orchid plant and flower retailer, Ceviche Mix, and a juice and mimosa bar. There will also be plenty of decadent dessert vendors like Kathy’s Cupcakes, Yumm Popsicles, Nicole Macaron, Aunt Gingibread’s Bakery, plus a French crepery. The popular Benji’s Donuts of Plant Street Market in Winter Garden will open a large space upstairs.

Artisanal food vendors that differ from the existing vendors can can request an application my emailing mountdoramarketplace@gmail.com. Sign up for the free Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates here. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.

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DOWNTOWN MOUNT DORA BUILDING GOES UP FOR SALE

4/15/2019

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It’s been a hub of retail activity for over 25 years, but that could soon change. The unassuming, one-story brick building at 334 Donnelly Street and its adjacent private parking lot, officially go on the market today for $2.5 million. In an area that struggles to meet its demand for parking, a private parking lot is a coveted asset.

Three generations of the same local family, the Pritts, have operated a retail store in that prime location for over 25 years. The first gift store, Country Cottage Crafts, enjoyed a two-decade run after relocating from Alexander Street. In recent years, it transitioned to Every Nook & Cranny and hosted Mount Dora Bikes, a bike share, in its parking lot. Malcolm Yawn Photography, known for wedding and portrait photography, was also in the building for several years before the business moved out last year.

Built in 1950, the 4,440 square-foot building and lot was last purchased in 1994 by its current owner and former shopkeeper, Wayne Pritt, for $300,000.   By comparison, the 4,500 square-foot building next door, previously home to Mr. Cerbiche and The Lost Parrot, quickly sold for $1.75 million just last year. That building does not have its own parking lot.

Although the property didn’t officially go on the market until today, there has already been significant interest in it, according to Pritt, who said he will be patient for the right buyer to come along. With the exception of Main Street Leasing, which has several long-term vacant buildings, most downtown Mount Dora landlords are experiencing enviable retail occupancy rates of 90 to 100 percent with waiting lists.

Retail properties typically have greater value to buyers when occupied, so they have the option to keep the existing tenants. However, Every Nook & Cranny is closing on May 3, which coincides with the end of downtown Mount Dora’s busy tourist season.

Pritt and his wife, Barbara, were active for years in the Mount Dora Village Merchants Association and were previously key organizers of the annual Mount Dora Craft Fair that fills downtown streets every October.

Sign up for the free Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates  here.    For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.

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MOUNT DORA RESTAURANT CLOSES AFTER SHORT RUN

3/26/2019

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ABOVE: Owner Joan Reidenbaugh preparing to open Jamaica Gardens last year.

Sadly, it was a short run. Jamaica Gardens, the colorful downtown Mount Dora restaurant, served its last customers on Sunday.

The Caribbean eatery opened six months ago and offered traditional Jamaican fare, tropical cocktails and live reggae music on weekends.

Like a lot of visitors to the quaint Central Florida town, Joan Reidenbaugh, a certified chef, fell in love with Mount Dora when she married her husband, Mark, over twelve years ago at the historic Lakeside Inn.

Over a decade later, she decided to transform the large space at 322 Alexander Street which has been home to several restaurants including The Gables, Saucy Spoon, Chef’s Pantry and The Pineapple Place. Jamaica Gardens created an island vibe at the location and cooked up authentic Caribbean cuisine.

It’s no secret that commercial rents can be pricey in downtown Mount Dora, so new business owners typically need plenty of start-up capital plus good business and marketing plans to help them grow a healthy business in a very abbreviated tourist season.

Anyone craving jerk chicken can still get it at the other Jamaica Gardens location in Longwood. Sign up for the free Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates here. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.

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NEW RETAIL CONCEPT TO OPEN IN MOUNT DORA

3/26/2019

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ABOVE: Plant Street Market in Winter Garden is a larger scale version of Mount Dora Marketplace (Mount Dora Buzz photo)

It’s been a pipe dream in Mount Dora for years. This summer it will become a reality.

One of downtown’s historic buildings will soon transform into Mount Dora Marketplace, a carefully curated community market. The vacant 4,500 square-foot building, formerly home to Eduardo’s bar and restaurant, will feature a blend of independent businesses in its ground floor. The focus will be on fresh food specialties and select complementary businesses. The intimate spaces will serve as an incubator for small entrepreneurs that seek a presence in Mount Dora, but not the hefty rents that often accompany such a premium location. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating is planned for customers to enjoy their tasty selections.

The concept has proven successful in other Central Florida cities like Winter Garden’s Plant Street Market and Orlando’s East End Market.

Mount Dora Marketplace will be anchored by The Filling Station, a casual, yet upscale, craft beer tap room and eatery. The bar will offer at least 28 craft beers on tap, plus premium wines available by the glass or by the bottle. The name is a nod to the old Texaco gas station that occupied the building many decades ago. Another space in the Marketplace will be an authentic New York-style deli complete with sandwiches made from house-baked bagels, bialys and breads.

In an effort to curate businesses that complement each other, the leasing agent, Dawn Williams, is seeking vendors that offer artisanal cheeses, fresh baked goods, smoothies, handcrafted chocolates, cured meats or other edibles, as well as small indoor plants and fresh cut flowers.

“It’s all about quality not quantity,” said Williams, a Mount Dora resident and real estate agent. “We’re not in a rush because we want to make sure we have the right businesses.” The marketplace will open at 100 E. 4th Avenue sometime this summer when all the spaces are leased and build-outs are complete.

ABOVE: The building that will be home to Mount Dora Marketplace in summer 2019 (Mount Dora Buzz photo)

The building’s owners, Michael Ross & Peter Burgess, divide their time between homes in Miami Beach and Mount Dora. The couple, along with Williams, are excited to create the modern marketplace concept in Mount Dora and anticipate the unique shopping venue will be a welcome new destination for residents and visitors.

Burgess, a commercial real estate professional and Cris-Craft boat owner, was first attracted to Mount Dora when it hosted the Antique Boat Show. Burgess and Ross fell in love with the town and purchased their home and first commercial property in Mount Dora in 2007. Years later the couple purchased the downtown building on the southwest corner of 4th Avenue and Donnelly Street where their tenants include Las Palmas Cuban Restaurant, Mount Dora Olive Oil Company and a jewelry store.

“There aren’t a lot of young entrepreneurs that can afford to open a store in downtown Mount Dora,“ said Ross of the plan for the Marketplace to function as a small business incubator. By offering these small spaces it will open doors for them.”

For the sake of consistency and ensuring a good shopping experience, Mount Dora Marketplace will have set hours for all businesses, said Ross, a retired South Florida event planner. However, the Filling Station will have extended hours.

The goal for the upstairs of the building is to create an entertainment venue that provides options not currently offered in the city, like a comedy club and other acts.

Entrepreneurs interested in applying for space at the marketplace can email Williams at mountdoramarketplace@gmail.com . Readers can stay updated on the Marketplace's opening date and vendors by signing up for the monthly Mount Dora Buzz update here.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download its free mobile app.

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IMPROVEMENTS COMING TO MOUNT DORA'S HISTORIC ALLEY

3/1/2019

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It’s named for Mount Dora’s original namesake. Royellou Alley, wedged downtown between Donnelly and Baker Streets, boasts the city’s historic jail, as well as a vacant shuttered building that’s riddled with broken windows..

Get ready for a major metamorphosis. An investor with CFL Property Group is under a firm contract to purchase 440 Royellou Lane and plans to pump life into the unkempt building by adding unique retail space, as well as offices on the 4,000 square-foot first floor. The historic building, built in 1920, was formerly home to Rehbaum Hardware Store’s warehouse and sits next to the Mount Dora History Museum.

As most downtown Mount Dora landlords are currently enjoying 100 percent occupancy rates for ground-floor space, this property will allow CFL to accommodate some of the businesses on its waiting list.

“It will be great when the broken windows can be a distant memory. I look forward to breathing new life and energy into this interesting piece of Mount Dora history,” said Sandi Weld, property manager and leasing agent for CFL Properties.

ABOVE: Concept rendering by Progress Architecture

The new owners plan to freshen the building’s exterior, and a grant has been pre-approved for its facade renovation which will be revisited with the City of Mount Dora after the deal closes on March 18. Solar power will also be added, similar to CFL’s building at 402 N. Donnelly which is slated to have 117 solar panels installed on its roof by the end of March.

Anyone interested in leasing opportunities should contact Sandi Weld at CFL Properties.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download its free mobile app. Free subscriptions to Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates are available here.

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NEW NEIGHBORHOOD APPROVED FOR ROUND LAKE ROAD

3/1/2019

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Change is coming. Residential growth in the rural eastern side of Mount Dora has long been expected. It’s now come to fruition with Timberwalk, the recently-approved, 376 home development on Round Lake Road. The style of the homes and white perimeter fencing will be similar to Sullivan Ranch, another residential development on Round Lake Road.

The area’s newest neighborhood will be built next to the elementary school and will sprawl over 170 acres with single-family homes featuring a minimum of 1,300 square feet. Although the project didn’t require a zoning change, it will transform that area of Round Lake Road which currently is predominantly open pastures on low rolling hills. The net density of the development is 2.4 homes per acre.

Although only 46 acres of open space are required, the developer of TImberwalk set aside 70 acres of open space that includes 3.69 acres of wetlands. Among the amenities are a pool, walking trails, a multi-use ball field, as well as community RV and boat storage.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Free subscriptions to Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates are available here.

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MOUNT DORA TO LOSE PASSENGER TRAIN

2/27/2019

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Superstitious folks might just feel the tracks are cursed. For over a decade, Mount Dora has seen passenger train operations start and stop for a variety of reasons. Inevitably, a new vintage passenger train arrived to fill the void.

That’s about to change. On April 22, Central Florida Railroad (CFR), which owns the tracks, will cease allowing passenger trains on the section of track between Tavares and Mount Dora.

Government regulations understandably require tracks that carry passenger trains be maintained to a higher standard than their freight counterparts. Officials at CFR have determined it’s cost-prohibitive to maintain 100-year-old tracks to that high level, according to Pete Petree of Pinsly Railroad Company, the holding company of CFR.

The passenger train will continue its excursion rides from Tavares to Eustis which operates on much newer tracks.

CFR will return the use of the Mount Dora/Tavares tracks to its main business of freight and storage and will also explore other opportunities that would not involve passenger trains. The termination date of April 22 cannot be changed and the company is not looking for subsidies from the City of Tavares or Mount Dora, according to Petree. Instead, CFR officials opted to move forward with re-focusing their business on that portion of track.

The train operator, Royal Palm Railway, remains committed to the Tavares/Eustis excursion train. Last year the operator experienced strong growth in ridership as visitors rode the train into Mount Dora from Tavares and used it as a shuttle into Mount Dora’s large festivals. Additionally, the operator’s Polar Express train and other themed rides have been very successful, according to Neil Bagaus, spokesperson for Royal Palm Railway. He estimates ridership during a 12-month period to be between 100,000 and 125,000. After April 22, riders will still be able to catch the train at the downtown Tavares station and ride it into Eustis on Thursdays through Sundays starting at 10 a.m.

As Mount Dora passenger train operations have come and gone, their charm remains woven into the fabric that created the city’s reputation as a quaint, historic town. Gone are the days of Herbie, the little yellow engine beloved for years by local toddlers, followed by the big steam Orange Blossom Cannonball. Now Mount Dorans will bid farewell to Royal Palm Railway and its fleet of refurbished 1940’s passenger cars in what seems to be the sad end of Mount Dora’s passenger train era.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Free subscriptions to Mount Dora Buzz' monthly updates are available here.

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