669 NE US Hwy 19, Crystal River, FL 34429

Crystal River Landmark Commercial Opportunity

Located in the heart of the walkable Historical Downtown Crystal River, this ±7,090 SF free-standing concrete block building offers a rare opportunity at one of the city’s most visible intersections. Positioned at the signalized corner of US-19/Suncoast Boulevard (±23,000 AADT) and NE 3rd Avenue (±3,400 AADT), the property sits on ±0.36 acres with 86 feet of frontage along US-19 and 183 feet on NE 3rd Avenue. The building features approximately 5,000 SF of open retail/showroom space and 2,122 SF of functional shop space with a grade-level roll-up door, providing excellent flexibility for retail, showroom, or service-oriented uses. Originally constructed in 1963 and remodeled in subsequent years, the property has long served as a recognizable landmark in Crystal River. While impacted by Hurricane Helene and requiring remediation, the structure remains solid, offering a true value-add opportunity to reposition a prime downtown asset.

The location is highly walkable, with direct access to Crystal River Town Square, the Riverwalk, City Cross Town Trail, boutique restaurants, and shops that attract both locals and tourists. Just minutes away are popular attractions including Three Sisters Springs, Hunter Springs Park, Kings Bay, and multiple public boat ramps, ensuring consistent tourism-driven traffic in addition to local demand. Regional access is exceptional: the Crystal River Mall and Hospital are located just north of the property, while the six-lane expansion of US-19 and the Suncoast Parkway to the south provide direct connectivity to Tampa International Airport in just over an hour.

Neighboring national brands such as Walgreens, CVS, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Dunkin’, Wawa, and Winn-Dixie reinforce the area’s commercial strength and visibility. With its prime downtown location, strong traffic counts, flexible layout, and proximity to both tourism and essential services, this property represents an exceptional opportunity for investors or end-users to restore and reposition a cornerstone of Crystal River’s commercial corridor.

From a market perspective, the property benefits from its location within Citrus County, a region experiencing steady population growth and increasing commercial demand. The county currently supports a population of approximately 153,600 residents, with long-term planning capacity for approximately 350,000 residents under the county’s Land Development Code. Continued residential expansion, infrastructure investment, and regional economic development are driving increased demand for healthcare, service, and retail facilities throughout the county.

With its prime downtown location, strong traffic counts, flexible layout, and tourism-driven demand, this property offers an exceptional opportunity for investors or end-users to restore and reposition a cornerstone of Crystal River’s commercial corridor.

Citrus County: A Market Poised for Growth

Lecanto and its surrounding areas have benefited from recent revitalization efforts, including community investments such as the Liberty Park and Depot District in Inverness. The recently completed $135 million expansion of the Suncoast Parkway and its planned extensions will further enhance connectivity, fostering additional economic growth.

Within a 15-minute drive, the property serves a substantial customer base of 46,361 residents, with an average age of 58 and a median household income of $65,000. This demographic ensures a solid foundation for businesses seeking to establish or expand in a thriving and dynamic market.

This meticulously maintained retail and service plaza presents an unparalleled opportunity for businesses to thrive in a high-traffic, high-visibility location, surrounded by a strong customer base and an array of complementary national retailers.

Logistic Details:

County Road 486 runs entirely along West Norvell Bryant Highway. It runs West to East from SR 44 east of Crystal River into US-41 in Hernando, just south of the southern terminus of SR 200. The route was once the former SR 486. County Road 486 spans 4 lanes, is almost entirely a divided highway, and is flanked by a parallel bicycle path on the south side.

County Road 491 is Lecanto Highway, a bi-county South to North road that begins at the Hernando-Citrus County Line in Oak Grove near the Withlacoochee State Forest and ends at SR 200 in Stoke's Ferry, just south of the intersection with the northern segment of CR 39. It was formerly designated as SR 491.

County Road 44 (often marked as County Road 44W) exists as the western tip of old Florida State Road 44, south of "Downtown" Crystal River. The suffix "W" was most likely added to not confuse this section with State Road 44, to the north, and to show its location by being west of US 19 and US 98(SR 55). As with the majority of these types of 'coastal spur' routes, in West Central Florida, it is county-maintained.

U.S. Route 19 (US-19) runs 264 miles (425 km) along Florida's West Coast from an interchange with U.S. Route 41 in Memphis, Florida, south of Tampa, and continues to the Georgia border north of Monticello, Florida. Newly 6 lane Highway was constructed from the Hernando County line to Fort Island Trail and US 19 in Crystal River, Florida.

Suncoast Parkway:

The Suncoast Parkway recently opened was a $135 Million Dollar expansion that extends 13 miles north from US-98 to SR 44 which features 15 new bridges, electronic tolling gantries, and the extension of The Suncoast Trail part of the Florida's Statewide Greenways and Trail System. The Suncoast Parkway is just 68 Miles 1 hour and 15 mins from Tampa making it a great commuting Highway for the workforce seeking to be outside of the Tampa traffic. The Veterans Expressway and Suncoast Parkway is a north–south toll road near the Florida Gulf Coast. Maintained and operated by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, this 68-mile transportation corridor extends from State Road 60 in Tampa, north to State Road 44 near Lecanto.

Citrus County Growth:

Citrus County, Florida's estimated population is 155,582 with a growth rate of 1.29% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Citrus County, Florida is the 34th largest county in Florida. The 2010 Population was 141,173 and has seen a growth of 10.21% since this time. Citrus County's current LDC allows for approximately a population of 350k residencies. Given the expansion of the Suncoast Parkway and the 6-lane expansion of US 19, we are in the path of tremendous growth. +Currently, Citrus County has 60,000 vacant parcels of land prime for development. The County and incorporated Cities have plans for extensive utility expansion throughout the county including the expansion of the Crystal River Airport Runway 5000 feet to allow for larger aircraft to land and take off including a newly funded 75 acres industrial complex granted by the state to expand utilities, road reconstruction to support eighteen wheelers and to include environmentally friendly and energy conservation features.

Community Development:

• 957 single-family residential homes on a 354-acre site in Lecanto.

• 500-lot subdivision, located in Citrus Springs by Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County.

• Green Mills Group 2020 built a 106-unit apartment campus offering affordable housing on Colonnade Street in Inverness.

• County commissioners approved a planned unit development (PUD) for Preservation Point RV Resort, a 234-acre property.

• Jaymelday Holdings LLC calls for up to 600 RV sites, along with amenities such as a pool, golf cart rentals, bar and grill, basketball court, and walking trails in Crystal River.

• 207 Home subdivision by DR Horton in Beverly Hills, Florida Citrus Ridge Area.

• 930 Unit Subdivision in Planning with a national builder in Lecanto just off the Suncoast Parkway extension on SR 44.