Construction starts on Willowbrook Center in south Sarasota County

A new shopping center has broken ground in North Port's Wellen Park area. The plans include a grocery anchor, 14,000 square feet for smaller shops and five outparcels. The site is near West Villages Parkway and Manasota Beach Road. The developer is targeting completion in the fourth quarter of 2027.

Published November 12, 2026 · Sion editorial

The Business Observer reported on November 11 that construction had begun on Willowbrook Center, near West Villages Parkway and Manasota Beach Road in the Wellen Park area of North Port, Sarasota County. The outlet reported a fourth-quarter 2027 completion target, which remains a projection.

Wellen Park's commercial plans identify Publix as the grocery anchor and show 14,000 square feet of small-shop space and five outparcels. The development adds planned space for shopping and services along a corridor serving nearby residential communities. The announced construction milestone does not establish individual store opening dates.

Sources: Wellen Park commercial project description, accessed November 12, 2026, https://wellenpark.com/commercial/ and City of North Port project area overview, https://www.northportfl.gov/Building-Planning/Projects/Wellen-Park. Groundbreaking and completion timing were reported by Business Observer on November 11, 2026: https://www.businessobserverfl.com/news/2026/nov/11/wellen-park-shopping-center-groundbreaking/