Come Celebrate the New Marco Town Center

Brixmor Property Group is ready to celebrate, a little more than two years after its Marco Town Center renovation project began. In fact, the company invites the community to help mark the official close of major construction at Promenade for Prizes on February 10th. 

Festivities will be held in the center’s courtyard, starting at 2:00 PM and include:

Live music outdoors by David Lapio, Eric Malibu and Papa Rasta.

Store activities such as wine and tequila tastings, margaritas, free donuts and outdoor games.

A prize drawing inside stores, with a grand prize of a sunset cruise for two on the Marco Island Princess.

A ribbon cutting ceremony at 4:00 PM with the Marco Island Area Chamber of Commerce.

The event will end at 6:00 PM.

“This isn’t something we normally do, but we were really appreciative of how the community stuck with us during construction,” said Kristen Moore, Brixmor’s Senior Vice President of Marketing. “So, we wanted to host this community celebration, which was actually suggested by one of our tenants, Bob Knapp of Beachworks.”

Work began on the $11.5 million revitalization of the Town Center in November of 2019. Aside from modernizing the 32-year-old facility’s facades and other exterior features, the project encompassed extensive landscaping improvements, updated signage, LED lighting, a reconfigured parking lot with landscaped islands and shade trees, creating outdoor patios and gathering places, public art installations and much more. 

“Essentially, we wanted to maintain the character of the property and we updated everything such that it would be in keeping with that character,” said Barry Rodenstein, the company’s Senior Vice President for Redevelopment Leasing. “That was really the impetus, to make sure the look was something the community could be proud of.” 

Marco's volunteer organization enhanced the landscape design.

“It was important for us to connect with the community, so we reached out to the Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island and they were very helpful,” said Brixmor’s property manager for the town center, Erica Bradley. “They designed and planted the succulent plants and tropical plants in the courtyard.”

Rodenstein said the majority of work is complete, aside from replacing some tenant signs, which should be completed within 60 days, the addition of more Adirondack chairs to the gathering areas and some landscaping enhancements.

The changes over the last two-plus years have also seen the addition of 12 new retailers to a mix anchored by a Publix Super Market: A Better Solution, Cocomo's Grill, Coton Frais, Duo Furniture & Lighting, J. McLaughlin, Marco Island Computers, Mr. Bentley's Ice Cream, Elite Nails & Spa, OREA Blu, Paddy Murphy's Irish Pub, Thai Thai Sushi Bowl and the Tropical Smoothie Café. 

Most are already in operation, but a few will be open within the next six-to-12 months.

“In general, most of the retailers that you see here are more local, resort-oriented tenants,” said Rodenstein about the tenant mix. “Obviously, Publix is a big, national company and there are a few retailers, like J. McLaughlin and Tropical Smoothie Café, which have numerous stores throughout the country. In general, we try to pick tenants that are relevant to the community; that would fit with Marco Island. In terms of the mix, what we’re really after is to be the center of the community where people gather and shop and relax with friends; a little bit of everything, with a strong apparel and fashion component, as well.”

Moore expanded on those comments. 

“While we are a national company with locations across the country, we don’t cookie-cutter the merchandising mix at each of our centers,” she said. “They really looked at what was unique about Marco Island and the consumer that’s there, including the seasonal residents, and then tailored the merchandising mix to that.” That’s the reason for the restaurants with outdoor patios, higher-end women’s apparel boutiques, the services people use daily. “The leasing team kind of shapes it to the consumer that is in the market.”

The new tenants join such established businesses as the Marco Island Brewery, Crazy Flamingo, Beachworks, Sandpiper Loft, Everything But Water and The Marco Players Performing Arts Theater. 

Roughly nine storefronts await tenants. Rodenstein said that is, in part, because Brixmor is awaiting the opening of a few more tenants before completing leasing. But that task should be completed in 18-to-24 months. 

He said that in visits to Marco Town Center, he and his team have been enthused by the level of activity, including seeing people enjoying the Adirondack chairs in the gathering areas. 

It’s really nice to see the activity and the sales have been great,” added Rodenstein. “Our tenants are having a fantastic season and they’re thrilled, as well. It’s nice that something that we’ve talked about for literally five or six years has come to fruition so we’re very excited.”

Marco Town Center is located at 1017 North Collier Boulevard, at the intersection with Bald Eagle Drive.