OCALA, FL (352today.com) – When the sun set on the west side of Tuscawilla Park on Wednesday, May 15, it was with the promise of reinvigoration in a quiet part of town. Just that afternoon, Ocala Main Street (OMS) broke ground on the Heart of the Park, a 15,000 square foot community project.
This project is just one of many by OMS, a non-profit organization that says it’s focused on revitalizing Downtown Ocala while maintaining the heart of the community.
In March of this year, the organization announced a plan to turn the nearly 100-year-old Marion Hotel into a Tapestry by Hilton. OMS Executive Director Jessica Fieldhouse expects the hotel to be completed in the third quarter of 2025.
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Heart of the Park is a two-phase project, with phase 1 slated for completion in Winter 2024 and phase 2 slated for completion in Spring 2025. It will be located at the south end of Tuscawilla Park, in the former American Legion Building at 516 NE Sanchez Ave. This 91-year-old historic building has been vacant for over a decade.
The groundbreaking was attended by city officials including Mayor Ben Marciano and City Manager Pete Lee. Both spoke about their excitement for the new push for development around Tuscawilla Park and remarked about the importance of groups like OMS. As a citizen-run group, OMS strives to be close to the pulse of the community and what residents want to see in Ocala.
Phase 1 will add a grab & go corner store to the park with an outside service window, along with a deck and exterior seating.
The corner store will offer easy-to-serve food items like coffee, beer and wine to enjoy on the deck or to grab for a picnic. Park-goers will be able to purchase equipment like cane fishing poles and frisbees, or picnic blankets to enjoy food by the lake. This part of the facility is modeled after Depot Park in Gainesville, which provides similar amenities for guests.
Phase 2 will add an interior multi-purpose room and offices, ballroom, and lifestyle programs.
The multi-purpose spaces will be able to be used for things like board meetings and offices spaces, with large windows overlooking the park. The ballroom will become an event and community gathering space. It will also showcase satellite exhibits from museums around Marion County.
A space will be dedicated in the Heart of the Park to be the main office of OMS, where Fieldhouse and the Board of Directors will be able to oversee the progress being made. Fieldhouse hopes that the renovations will restore the local landmark, especially the ballroom, to its former glory as a community hub.
This development will soon be joined by other projects in the Midtown area, the area north of State Road 40 around Tuscawilla Park.
Infinite Ale Works is working on a new 15,000 square foot location at the former Fire Station One, located at 410 NE 3rd Street, while a new open-concept dining space called The Forge is expected to open in Fall 2024 at the site of the former WMOP building, at 343 NE 1st Avenue. These projects will add multiple restaurants and community spaces to the area.
Ultimately, the goal for OMS is to facilitate the economic and social development of downtown Ocala through community and connectivity. The Heart of the Park project will give this mission a “home base,” while development continues to bloom from the S-Curve up to the Reilly Arts Center.
OMS will host a community volunteer day at the Heart of the Park on June 15. To volunteer, or get involved with the organization in other ways, visit their website.