Titusville mall redevelopment plan to include apartments, hotel

Once-busy Searstown Mall looking for major upgrade

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Built in 1966, vacant storefronts show a mall long past its heyday, but new animation shows a major upgrade the city of Titusville and supporters are very excited about.

‘’We are hopeful that you can make that video come to life,’’ Mayor Man Diesel said.

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The Titusville city council heard a proposal last week for future shopping and dining, which includes an apartment building, senior living facility and Hilton-brand hotel, at the Titusville Mall, known for most of its 56 years as the Searstown Mall.

‘’Way back in the day, there used to be a lot of people around here,’’ Sugabears owner Maurice Williams said.

Like most speakers at the city council meeting, Williams said he supports the project.

The council approved the height of the development moving the plan forward.

‘’It’s going to bring a lot more customers in the Titusville area and get this mall back to where it used to be,’’ Williams said.

Double Portion owner Kathy Laws’ questioned if there will be enough parking, a concern the developer addressed at the meeting.

California Retail Properties CEO Jesse Wright said the plan includes more than 1,000 parking spaces.

‘’We’re meeting the minimum requirement for the parking,’’ Wright said.

The developer said phase one of the transformation could begin early next year.


About the Author:

James joined News 6 in March 2016 as the Brevard County Reporter. His arrival was the realization of a three-year effort to return to the state where his career began. James is from Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.