Oviedo Mall looking for contractors for renovation projects

Oviedo Mall is looking for all sorts of contractors and subcontractors to handle small projects like fixing broken doors, and larger ones such as preparing store sites for new tenants.

The jobs can run from tens of thousands of dollars to upwards of $10 million in value, and the mall is regularly seeking a variety of contractors, general manager Brian Olivi told GrowthSpotter on Thursday.

The mall is an example of the places that may not be obvious locations for contractors to look for opportunities, but that often offer decent return.

The 75-store Oviedo Mall is located off Red Bug Lake Road, near SR 417.

Right now work is going on to add a number of new retail tenants, including Taco Bell, Amarena, Planet Smoothie and Nestle Toll House.

Olivi said it is particularly hard to find contractor labor now that the I-4 Ultimate project is heating up. Many builders have turned their attentions to that project, he said.

The need for construction workers will be especially acute when the mall secures tenants for its two largest vacant store sites, one of 20,000 square feet and the other 16,000 square feet.

Olivi declined to give a time line or name names of potential new tenants, but did say the mall's management is talking with three national accessory and women's stores.

The build out of space for these large stores, to prepare for their taking up residence, would be a project in the $10 million range.

One project that is already planned is a $100,000 sprucing up of the mall's 65-acre property. The endeavor will primarily involve renovating driving entrances and putting in plants to give the 950,000-square-foot mall's exterior a fresher look. That contractor is Greenleaf Landscaping and work may begin as soon as next week.

The mall has come a long way. In 2010, when people were not buying because of the recession, its occupancy rate was 40 percent. While Olivi will not give a precise number for current occupancy, he said it is "well double" that number.

Oviedo Mall is owned by Los Angeles property owner and manager 3D Investments LLC, which purchased the facility for an undisclosed amount in 2013 when it was in receivership.

Its anchors are Macy's, Dillard's and a troubled Sears, with Olivi saying the latter store, at least in Oviedo Mall, is a relatively solid performer.

Oviedo Mall's nearest competitors are Altamonte Mall and Seminole Town Centre Mall.

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