3228 W Laurel St, Lecanto, FL 34461 For Sale

This prime commercial corner—fully cleared, shovel-ready, and positioned in the epicenter of growth in Citrus County’s Central Ridge District—offers one of the most strategic development opportunities in the Tampa MSA. Featuring 2.74 acres with 270 feet of frontage on CR 491/Lecanto Highway (17,800 AADT) and additional frontage on W Laurel Street, the property sits just two blocks southeast of the signalized SR 44 intersection (25,500 AADT) and benefits from full ingress and egress via a dedicated median break, allowing seamless north- and southbound access. Zoned GNC/LDR, this mixed-use commercial and residential designation supports a wide spectrum of higher-intensity development, including banks, QSR with drive-thrus, automotive uses, full-service restaurants, bars, car wash, hotel, multifamily (up to 10 units/acre with PUD), and the fastest-growing sector in Citrus County—multi-tenant medical office and regional care facilities ideal for a “Health Hub” model.

Regional growth surrounding the site has accelerated dramatically, fueled by massive public infrastructure investment and migration into the Tampa MSA. The SR 44 interchange and ongoing expansion of the 589/Suncoast Parkway, located just one mile west, have transformed Lecanto into a central gateway for residential and commercial expansion. Nearby, CR 486’s $85 million reconstruction project has unlocked significant development capacity, drawing major builders and national developers into the corridor. Directly across the street, DR Horton is developing the Lecanto Preserve—957 homes plus 30+ acres of planned commercial space accommodating big-box and junior-box retail. Additional large-scale projects are underway, including Metro Development’s 2,233-acre master-planned community targeting 4,933 units, and Citrus Hills’ luxury expansion, Davos Reserve, slated for over 400 high-end homes, further elevating demand for retail, hospitality, and medical services.

The site sits at the core of Citrus County’s largest and most active retail expansion zone, benefiting from immediate proximity to major national retailers such as Target, ALDI, Walmart, McDonald’s, Panda Express, Texas Roadhouse, Panera Bread, and Starbucks. This clustering creates unmatched retail synergy and ensures strong consumer draw from both local residents and regional traffic. Within a 15-minute radius, the property serves 66,966 residents, anchored by some of the county’s premier residential communities—Black Diamond Ranch, Citrus Hills, and Terra Vista, the latter of which includes a PGA-rated golf course and the highest-density residential concentration in Citrus County.

Citrus County, part of the 18th-largest metro area in the United States, is experiencing historic population growth. The county’s current population of 153,600 is projected to surge toward 350,000 by 2030, driven by new housing, improved transportation, and strong in-migration from the greater Tampa Bay region. The $135 million Suncoast Parkway extension now provides direct high-speed access to the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater MSA, positioning Lecanto as a natural growth corridor for commercial, medical, and multifamily development. Within a quick 15-minute drive, the property draws from a population of 46,361 residents, with a median age of 58 and a median household income of $65,000, creating an ideal demographic profile for retail, healthcare, and service-oriented tenancy.

With unmatched visibility, zoning flexibility, rapid regional expansion, and its central placement within the fastest-growing district of Citrus County, this site stands out as one of the most compelling development opportunities in the Tampa MSA. Whether targeted for national retail, healthcare, hospitality, multifamily, or a hybrid mixed-use concept, this property is perfectly positioned to capture the next decade of explosive growth.

Property Highlights:

• Prime 2.74± Acre Commercial Corner — fully cleared and development-ready.

• 270’ of high-visibility frontage on CR 491/Lecanto Hwy (17,800 AADT) with additional frontage on W Laurel St.

• Two blocks from the signalized SR 44 intersection (25,500 AADT) in the heart of Lecanto’s fastest-growing commercial node.

• Full median break with unrestricted ingress/egress for northbound and southbound traffic.

• Zoned GNC/LDR Mixed-Use, allowing commercial, medical, multifamily (up to 10 units/acre with PUD), hospitality, automotive, QSR with drive-thru, and more.

• Ideal for Medical “Health Hub,” Retail Center, Restaurant Pad, Hotel, or Mixed-Use development.

• Surrounded by explosive growth including DR Horton’s 957-unit Lecanto Preserve + 30 acres of commercial development directly across the street.

• Near major regional projects: Metro Development’s 4,933-unit master-planned community, Citrus Hills’ Davos Reserve, and multiple national builders entering the market.

• Located within the County’s largest national retail expansion zone, anchored by Target, ALDI, Walmart, McDonald’s, Panda Express, Texas Roadhouse, Panera, Starbucks, and more.

• Strategic position inside the Tampa–St. Pete MSA, the 18th-largest in the U.S.

• Population expected to surge from 153,600 to 350,000 by 2030 under current capacity projections.

• Excellent demographics: 66,966 residents in a 15-minute radius; median age 60; strong demand for medical and retail services.

• One mile from the Suncoast Parkway (589) with direct access to Tampa International Airport (55 miles).

• Shovel-ready site in one of Florida’s most coveted and rapidly advancing growth corridors.

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.