Big projects to keep an eye on in Parrish

A piece of proof that Parrish and Palmetto — a pair of northeast Manatee communities — are the next big growth centers in the county lies in two kinds of foods: pizza and pineapples. 

Both can be bought at places in the Gateway Commons shopping center near the Moccasin Wallow exit off Interstate 75, the first at Jet’s Pizza, the second at Publix. Richard Trzcinski, president of the Tampa-based real estate firm Primerica Group One, which owns the property, says there’s been “tremendous velocity in sales” at the center, which opened in 2019. 

The Publix, which is the anchor of the center widely visible from the highway, is “one of the strongest stores on the west coast of Florida,” he says. Jet’s Pizza is the top producing location of four in the area, he adds, and Hornback Chiropractic’s Gateway Commons location is its No. 1 walk-in clinic of five sites.  

“The Palmetto-Parrish area is experiencing a significant transformation,” says Trzcinski’s daughter, Daniele Trzcinski, vice president in charge of sales and leasing for Primerica. “The area’s potential as a growth center is undeniable, and we’re committed to supporting that momentum with properties that contribute to its vibrancy and success.”

Commercial real estate success is just one piece of what is making the area Manatee’s next boom town. Growth is surging in schools, medical buildings and housing developments, in what not too long ago was a vast rural landscape. 

Of the two, Parrish is the epicenter: the unincorporated area covers 302 square miles, according to U.S. Census data. The population was 38,944 in 2023, up 12.52% from 34,608 in 2020. Palmetto, meanwhile, covers seven square miles, according to the city government website. Its population, the city says, is 14,000, up 11.05% from 12,606 in the 2010 census. The city was incorporated in 1897 and has an elected-mayor form of government. 

By comparison, Lakewood Ranch, census data shows, had a population of 40,700 in 2024, up 53.50% from 26,513 in 2020, according to World Population Review.   

Jump right in

On the housing side,  Neal Land & Neighborhoods is behind one of the most notable projects in the region, with North River Ranch. Near Fort Hamer Road and Moccasin Wallow Road, the project is approved for 5,000 homes, of which 1,200 are currently occupied, according to Neal Land & Neighborhoods President John Neal. (Neal’s father is Lakewood Ranch-based homebuilder Pat Neal, one of the more prolific homebuilders in east Manatee County.) 

“So we’re just over a fifth completed,” John Neal says. Offerings range from single-family homes to townhouses and villas. 

Most new residents come from Manatee County, with many moving from St. Pete, Tampa and south of Tampa “for affordability, education and lifestyle factors,” Neal says. “Parrish has become attractive for a number of reasons, but it has a lot to do with its proximity to St. Petersburg and Tampa, the employment opportunities which are offered there, and the lifestyle elements — football team, hockey team, baseball team, some of Florida’s best restaurants.”

Photo by Elizabeth King

Another large residential development underway is Seaire, just east of I-75 on Moccasin Wallow Road. Its first residents began arriving toward the end of 2024. The community, being created by Tampa-based Metro Development Group, will feature a unique amenity: a 4-acre lagoon with lifeguards, a swim-up bar and event space.

“This is going to be the magical place to live in this area,” Metro Development Group’s Realtor Liaison Julie Kremner says, noting its draw for buyers in surrounding counties as well as within Manatee County.

Once built out, Seaire will contain 3,000 homes, including townhouses, single-family homes and estate homes. 

Doctor is in 

With more people, the need for health care is growing, and several organizations seek to fill that void.  

Two examples: a freestanding emergency room from HCA Florida South Shore Hospital is set to open this year on Fort Hamer Road in Parrish and HCA Florida North River Ranch Emergency is expected to open in early summer. “The need for health care services in the area was the primary reason for developing emergency care services in Parrish,” HCA Florida South Shore Hospital COO Cathy Edmisten says. 

And an even bigger medical facility is in the works, with Bay Care Health System planning a 154-bed hospital off Moccasin Wallow Road in Palmetto. A mile north of I-75 and I-275 on the Robinson Gateway property, officials project a 2027 opening for BayCare Hospital Manatee, which will be the first hospital north of the Manatee River.

School days

Multiple school campuses are also in various stages of development.

Parrish Community High School, which opened in 2019 on Fort Hamer Road, is expecting to complete a 25,000-square-foot addition that will add 16 classrooms to the school this spring. Students are expected to begin using the space after spring break, according to Principal Daniel Bradshaw.

Also, a middle school is under construction within the North River Ranch community, along North River Ranch Trail. It’s expected to be completed in time for the 2025–2026 school year.

There’s a higher education component in the surge of growth, too: Along Erie Road, State College of Florida is developing its Parrish campus. “We anticipate having general education as well as signature programming, such as nursing,” SCF spokesperson Jamie Smith says. 

Brick and mortar

The schools, houses and health care has led to a demand for commercial real estate, especially in retail and restaurants. 

In addition to Gateway, with its busy Publix and Jet’s Pizza, there’s Creekside Commons off US 301 in Parrish, which opened in 2023 with tenants like HomeGoods and First Watch. The 300,000-square-foot center is more than 92% leased, according to Julie Fanning, spokesperson for Benderson Development, which owns the shopping center. It has more than 30 brands represented, including Lowe’s, Ulta, Aldi, 3Natives, Marshalls and more.

“Benderson developed the center from the ground up to cater to the needs of the growing community, and it has quickly become a popular one-stop destination for high-quality shopping and dining,” says Fanning. 

Gateway Commons, meanwhile, says Daniele Trzcinski, is “one of the standout properties in our portfolio.” The company owns properties across seven counties in Florida. 

Gateway Commons is 97% leased, she says. Its finished first phase includes 15 tenants in more than 58,000 square feet. The second phase, over 31,000 square feet, is mostly leased and will open in August. Tenants include Ed’s Tavern, Bealls and Peach’s Restaurant.

Primerica also owns Gateway Commons, a 280-unit luxury apartment community that opened in June, and 90 acres west of I-75 at Moccasin Wallow Road that Richard Trzcinski says is receiving interest from hotels. “It’s good to be a bit of a risk taker by building out there,” he says. “We’re almost the only game in town.”