Developer: Highland Manor will likely stay in Apopka city center

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There’s a strong likelihood that the Highland Manor building will not be torn down or moved from its current site as part of the development of the proposed Apopka city center.

Plus, Taurus Southern Investments, the center’s developer, has signed a letter of intent with a hotel owner to build a hotel on the 34-acre site at the interchange of U.S. Highway 441 and State Road 436 in Apopka.

Jeff McFadden, managing director of Taurus Southern Investments, said this week that there will be changes to Highland Manor as it currently stands, but that the main building will likely stay where it is on the site along Martin’s Pond.

“I would have told you six months ago it wasn’t going to be part of our program,” McFadden said. “I’d say (today) there is a very good chance it will be part of the program. I think the ancillary buildings are going to have to go away, the chapel and sales office, and probably that long porte-cochere.”

He said Taurus considered making wholesale changes to the main building, but decided against it.

“We had looked at reducing the size of it, the kitchen and the whole back side that was added on. The problem is it’s just not cost-effective,” McFadden said.

“We’re right now getting pricing of cleaning up the exterior. There is a lot of rotten wood. Once I have that pricing, we can make a deal or not. My guess is that will get paid for by a combination of us and the city and the tenant.”

Highland Manor is currently used as an events center with Dubsdread Catering providing services. Most of the events are weddings, but McFadden said he would like to see more use during the week by businesses.

The expanded, full story will appear on page 1A of The Apopka Chief’s Friday, December 16, issue.