BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
Houses continued to go up around Bradford County, while commercial remodels made possible the opening of new businesses in 2023.
According to Bradford’s Building and Zoning Office, permits were pulled for 64 new homes last year, and 76 for new or replacement mobile homes. This was a bit slower than 2022 when builders were granted more than 90 new home permits.
New commercial permits include the Taylor’s Concrete office building on Southeast 144th Street, across from Bradford Elementary School, which opened this year after more than a year of construction.
Zaxby’s also has plans to build across from Walmart, while demolition and site clearing are underway for the WaWa convenience store and gas station to be located on U.S. 301 and Edwards Road in Starke.
Remodeling of the Bradford Square Shopping Center continues after the opening of Harbor Freight and Five Below, the center became even busier with the opening of T.J.Maxx. North Florida Fitness joined Pizza Hut at the Deerfoot Village Shopping Center, where Aldi opened last year alongside Tractor Supply.
The Holiday Inn Express also opened in 2023, and work began on the 25-home Sandcastle Pines in Starke. These will be affordable housing rental properties, with the target market being teachers, correctional officers, first responders, etc. The same groups as well as veterans will also be welcome at a planned townhome development known as CityWalk on East Call Street, pending the finalization of terms between the developer and the city of Starke.
Doors also opened for worship at New Life Baptist Church in Starke.
The city also expanded its borders, annexing property at the S.R. 16 bypass interchange for a future mixed used development. The city and county are working together with the help of state and federal fund to extend water and sewer service to the area.
As always, rumors persist about what will be developed both inside and outside the city, from a new grocery store, car wash, fast food establishment and buffet-style restaurant, to potential truck stops at either end of the Starke bypass.
