Wagon Wheel flea market site under contract for new Pinellas County development
Developers eye Wagon Wheel flea market land
The iconic Wagon Wheel flea market building on Park Boulevard continues to sit empty after it closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. But, there are new plans in the works to revive it. FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports.
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. - A developer is looking to revive one of Pinellas County's largest vacant properties: The former Wagon Wheel flea market site off of Park Boulevard.
The 156-acre property has sat empty since 2020, and Belleair Development Group is now under contract to purchase the land and is exploring what could come next.
Wagon Wheel flea market property
The backstory:
The Wagon Wheel flea market was a popular destination for more than 55 years, offering everything from fresh produce and clothing to live music and dancing. The market temporarily closed in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but its owners ultimately decided not to reopen, closing it permanently by June of that year.
Belleair Development Group, which owns several commercial properties in Pinellas Park, recently went under contract to purchase the site.
Future Pinellas County development
What's Being Considered:
The developer says it's too early to know exactly what will go on the property. Early possibilities include apartments and commercial space, but no plans have been confirmed.
Christian Yepes with Belleair Development Group says the size and location of the property create several possibilities, and the company wants to carefully consider what would best fit the area.
One thing the developer says is not planned: a data center.
"It's not very often you get 100+ acres in the middle of Pinellas County that's undeveloped. So, we're trying to carefully look at each step and each opportunity and each real possibility with the property."
Proposed property annexation
What's next:
The property is currently in unincorporated Pinellas County, but the developer wants to annex it into the city of Pinellas Park. The developer says annexation would help streamline the permitting process.
Belleair Development Group has submitted a permit application to the Southwest Florida Water Management District for a wetlands delineation. Traffic studies will also help determine what infrastructure improvements may be needed to support future development.
The city of Pinellas Park says it is still waiting for additional paperwork from the developer. The proposal is not expected to go before the city's Planning and Zoning Committee until early next year.
The Source: FOX 13 spoke with Christian Yepes of Belleair Development Group and contacted the city of Pinellas Park for information about the proposed annexation and review process.