06.14.2023

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Today’s Forecast

77º | Light thunderstorms and rain | 90% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:20 a.m. | Sunset 5:49 p.m.

Out with the old...

Former Lakeland Sears building to be demolished for multifamily housing

A vacant storefront has a light stone and mauve tile facade.

The Sears storefront at the Lakeland Square Mall could soon be no more. | Photo via Google Maps

and in with the new. The closed Sears department store at the Lakeland Square Mall will soon be transformed into an entirely new development. Flacks Group, a Miami-based equity firm, is purchasing the spot for a new 320-unit luxury apartment complex that will resemble Nottinghill Living, a smaller, but similar in-progress development in Davenport.

In total, the complex will have six buildings — three four-story buildings and three three-story buildings. Between the six buildings, tenants can rent one of 199 one-bedroom units, 106 two-bedroom units, or one of the 15 units with three bedrooms. The number of baths in each unit type is unspecified.

A black-and-white site map shows the proposed development plans. — The site map shows the development layout and proximity to the mall.
|
Site map via Flaks Group, City of Lakeland

As for amenities, here’s what future residents can expect:

4,800-sqft clubhouse
Circular entry court
Pool deck with cabanas
Dog park
Yoga garden
Community lawn and events area
Gazebo
540+ resident parking spaces

The development may also provide residents direct access to the Lakeland Square Mall via an access point between buildings four and five. According to Flacks Director Jordan Desnick, the group hopes that a new surge of residents in the area will increase economic support for the shopping center.

Flacks Group isn’t the first to redevelop a shopping mall. Similar retail-to-residential developments are underway throughout the country. In addition to residential projects, some shopping malls have been converted into community colleges, medical centers, and green spaces.

No one’s bidding adieu to the Lakeland Square Mall, but we are curious: If you were to continue redeveloping the mall, what would you do next? Put on your developer hat and tell us in this survey.

Asked

Be the developer: What would you like to see done at the Lakeland Square Mall?

A. A total transformation — I’d like it to be something else.
B. Somewhere in the middle — make it a mixed-use space.
C. No change — I want it to stay exactly the same.
D. Other — share your response in the survey.

Be the developer

Events

Wednesday, June 14

Polk Pride 2023: Pride for Youth | Wednesday, June 14 | 6:30-9 p.m. | United Women’s Club of Lakeland, 1515 Williamsburg Sq., Lakeland | Free | Youth ages 11-17 and their parents can celebrate and meet with reps from Polk Pride, Lakeland Youth Alliance, and PFLAG of Polk County.
Trivia Night | Wednesday, June 14 | 7-9 p.m. | Union Taproom, 245 W. Central Ave., Ste. 102, Winter Haven | Free entry | Pour your own drinks and enjoy fresh pizzas at Union Taproom while showing off your general trivia knowledge.

Thursday, June 15

Civics 101: Why Should I Vote? | Thursday, June 15 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | The Well, 114 E. Parker St., Lakeland | Free | Join this voter education forum to learn how local, state, and federal legislation affects you.
Highland Calf | Thursday, June 15 | 7-9 p.m. | Painting with a Twist, 3670 Harden Blvd., Lakeland | $39-$49 | Get a moo-ve on and sign up for this step-by-step painting class.

Friday, June 16

Free Summer Kids Lunches | Friday, June 16 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | Mary’s Bagel Cafe, 1242 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free | Kids ages 5-18 can get free lunches courtesy of Mary’s Bagel Cafe on select days — lunches include sandwiches, fruit, chips, and juice or water.
Main Street Bartow’s FRIDAY FEST! | Friday, June 16 | 6-9 p.m. | Downtown Bartow, 100 E. Main St., Bartow | Free entry | Visit this block party for live music, delicious drinks, and plenty of local vendors.

Saturday, June 17

Caffeine and Gasoline | Saturday, June 17 | 8-10 a.m. | Bonnet Springs Park, 400 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Grab a coffee while you stroll through this car show — no registration is required to show off your ride, just arrive before 7:45 a.m.
Heart for Art | Saturday, June 17 | Polk Museum of Art, 800 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland | Free | Catch the opening day of this exhibit featuring works by Polk County students, from kindergartners to seniors.
Complimentary Father’s Day Photos | Saturday, June 17 | 5-7 p.m. | Lakeside Village, 1479 Town Center Dr., Lakeland | Free | Bring the family to Lakeside Village for free Father’s Day photos taken by The Lagrones photography team.*

Sunday, June 18

Bricks & Brews — Father’s Day Edition | Sunday, June 18 | 2-4 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | $10 | Compete with your family to see who can build the best Lego creation.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Number

$1.65 million. That’s how much a Christina Boulevard home sold for in May — making it Polk’s most expensive home sale of the month. The home was formerly owned by Todd Randall Jones, CEO of Publix Super Markets Inc., and sold after less than a month on the market. Look inside. (The Ledger)

Outdoors

Crews are filling in the sinkhole at Scott Lake Road, which was reportedly caused when a private drilling company hit a pressurized pocket. According to sinkhole expert Tony Randazzo, west central Florida has the highest sinkhole activity in the state. In fact, many of our lakes are former sinkholes. (The Ledger + WTSP)

Tech

The Suntrax test facility opened this week on Braddock Road, near the Polk Parkway in Auburndale. The test driving and research facility is the only “high-speed autonomous vehicle testing facility” in the region; self-driven cars will be researched and tested in multiple driving environments. (Fox 13 News)

Biz

Vegetation Cafe and Kitchen — the brick-and-mortar expansion of Vegetation Plant Food — is now open at 1437 E. Gary Rd. Stop by from Friday-Sunday to try the plant-based eats for yourself. Check out LkldNow’s interview with owner Rima Schillinger to learn more about the business and what you can order. (LkldNow)

Edu

Dr. Laly Joseph has become Florida Southern College’s new Dean of the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. With more than 30 years of experience in the field, Dr. Joseph is also a board-certified adult nurse practitioner, doctor of veterinary medicine, and experienced nursing professor. (The Ledger)

Try This

Does your go-to coffee shop have a purple patio? Guess Who, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Bananagrams, coloring books, and other games are now available at happyfastdelicious. Stop by and challenge a friend to a game over your favorite drink. Pro tip: Concord Coffee, Hillcrest Coffee, and Pressed also have games available.

Holiday

Little Lake is hosting a Father’s Day celebration on Sunday, June 18. Stop by from 12-3 p.m. for popcorn, pretzels, and root beer floats for the kids, plus two beers for each adult. Kids can create crafts for dad and enjoy open play — sibling and additional adult tickets are available.

Kids

Need another air-conditioned activity for the kids this summer? The Summer Movie FunFest is back at CMX Lakeside Village 18 & IMAX. Kids can catch a movie for $1.99 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays starting at 10 a.m. Pro tip: Tickets must be purchased at the box office.

Watch

Bartow resident Brandon Jordan is hosting the Weather Channel’s new show “Search Party.” Celebrate the series premiere in downtown Bartow (260 E. Main St.) with a live screening on Sunday, June 18 from 7-10 p.m. The show will be played on a giant screen — bring your own chairs or blankets. (PR Newswire)

Travel

ICYMI, tickets are now on sale for Brightline — the new modern, eco-friendly railway servicing trips out of Orlando International Airport’s recently-unveiled train station. While we still await the official grand opening date, Floridians can start planning their travel-by-rail trips to South Florida for Sept. 1 onwards.*

Edu

Too busy to take classes on a college campus? Southeastern University offers a robust online program with flexible schedules, an easy-to-use online learning platform, affordable tuition + more. Bonus: Learn more by attending an Online Bachelor’s Degree Virtual Info Session on July 5 at 12 or 6 p.m.*

The Word

Sandía. Start using it in conversation in three weeks.*

Drink

Summer is here, which means so too is aperol spritz season. Enjoy as many as you’d like (without regretting it the next day) when you make yours with Ritual Zero Proof’s aperitif alternative — an alcohol-free take on the Italian classic. Bonus: Use it to make the summery aperitif sour.*

History

The story of the saltire

History of the Florida flag

Adopted in 1868, our flag’s history is much older. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

In honor of today being Flag Day, we’re taking a deeper look at those waving banners. Our state flag is a record of Florida history that experts read like a secret code. Every part carries some meaning, from hoist to fly end.

The saltire

The red “X” on Florida’s flag is called a “saltire,” or St. Andrew’s Cross. It echoes heraldry dating back to the 15th century.

The seal

Florida’s state seal has emblazoned the front of the flag since 1868, with revisions. Changes over the years corrected errors in the landscape — replacing cocoa trees with palmettos, for example — and properly representing the Seminole woman scattering flowers.

The colors

Color meanings change across history as old as Florida’s. For example, our field of white is a symbol of French royalty, not purity like in the US flag. Practical concerns also influenced the current design: Without the saltire, our flag looked like a white flag of surrender when hung limp.

Do you know Lakeland's flag?

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Rilee

From the editor

We’re working on a guide to Lakeland’s best vegetarian and vegan restaurants. Do you have a favorite? Tell us about it.

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