GRAND BOULEVARD ANNOUNCES TENANTS

The following article is a follow up to a recent post on the upcoming Grand Boulevard development. A number of new retail and restaurant names will make their first appearance along the Emerald Coast. Our community is thriving and this development is another confirmation of this reality. Here's the latest...

Rising within the thriving landscape of South Walton, a small city's worth of construction is taking shape. Modeled after town squares that still dot small towns throughout America, Grand Boulevard at Sandestin is the highlyanticipated, shop, work, play and stay destination being built in Northwest Florida. Based on the mixed-use architectural model, Grand Boulevard will offer a lifestyle experience with access to many shopping and dining options, entertainment, professional services, corporate offices and residential and hotel space.

Offering a pedestrianfriendly layout, the town center also includes a large, centrally-located public green space named Grand Park, which will host year-round events. This downtown-inspired area provides an array of necessities either as a resident or a visitor to the area. "When we were growing up, we went downtown to the grocery store, to shop for clothes, to the bank or doctor. Grand Boulevard will be a more modern and dynamic version of the town square model. You won't have to leave the property," said Grand Boulevard developer Keith Howard.

Howard Group, the development company of Grand Boulevard, spent more than 10 years acquiring the 52 acres Grand Boulevard sits on. Just across the street from Topsail State Preserve and a short walk from Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Grand Boulevard is designed as a town center and destination for all of Northwest Florida. The eastern-most end of the property already contains the Sacred Heart Hospital and Publix, both opened in 2003. Marriott Courtyard and Marriott Residence Inn, border the western end, and opened in 2006.
According to Howard, the area residents and visitors are ready for Grand Boulevard. "This is more than a typical lifestyle retail cen- ter. It's more cutting-edge - offering a truly grand experience and a sense of excitement," he said. A place to shop, play, work and stay. Built along two miles of U.S. 98, Grand Boulevard will ultimately have many retail and dining options, offices for professionals, and rental and residential spaces.

In spring 2007, Grand Boulevard will celebrate the grand opening of a major portion of the town center, including several lifestyle brands and restaurants. Among the first to open will be P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe & Emporium, The Orvis Co., Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Coldwater Creek, J. Jill, Aveda Salon, Cantina Laredo Gourmet Mexican Food and an exciting new concept from an American retail icon - Brooks Brothers Country Club.
Among the other retail tenants opening are Viking Lifestyle Store, Fusion Glass Art Gallery, Learning Express Toys, Sunglass Station and Billabong. Several of the restaurants are new additions to the region and will be original dining experiences.

The name P.F. Chang's China Bistro evokes one of the most original dining experiences in the country. Fresh, contemporary and consistent are the trademarks of this addition to Grand Boulevard. A combination of Chinese cuisine, attentive service, wine and desserts, P.F. Chang's reflects the evolving Chinese culinary landscape, served up in a stylish bistro. Striving for harmony in taste, texture, color and aroma, P.F. Chang's balances the Chinese principles of fan and t'sai. Fan foods include rice, noodles, grains and dumplings while vegetables, meat, poultry and seafood are t'sai foods. Working in an exhibition kitchen, the chefs of P.F. Chang's use Mandarin-style wok cooking to prepare food. Using the fresh, high-quality ingredients, the chefs create lightly sauced dishes that allow natural flavors to emerge.

Cantina Laredo, in the east end of Grand Park, serves gourmet Mexican food. The Mexico City-style menu includes grilled fish, chicken and steaks complimented by signature sauces such as chipotle-wine with portobello mushrooms or saute?d artichoke hearts and roasted red bell peppers. Their signature margarita, the Casa Rita, is made from fresh lime juice and top-shelf tequila. Guacamole is made fresh at your table to your specifications. In addition to serving lunch, dinner, drinks and Sunday brunch, Cantina Laredo also offers catering.

Tommy Bahama is among the specialty retailers to open in Grand Boulevard. It is located at the west end of Grand Park. Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe & Emporium brings something unique to Grand Boulevard - a beautiful retail store featuring Tommy Bahama apparel, accessories and home decor items, along with a restaurant with a large veranda for outdoor dining, serving upscale-inspired cuisine.

Sporting traditions will be represented with the inclusion of one of the country's oldest retailers, The Orvis Co. Specializing in what the company calls a "distinctive country lifestyle," the 13,000-squarefoot Orvis offers the world's finest fly fishing equipment, men's and women's clothing, gifts for the home as well as dog beds and other pet supplies.

The first Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar opened in 1998, and have won awards from all over the country for food, wine and service. Most recently, Fleming's was the recipient of 37 awards of excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. Stylish, contemporary dining is the hallmark of Fleming's. As the name implies, the menu features prime beef, a variety of chops, fresh seafood, chicken, salads and desserts. Wine selections are recommended with menu items or may be chosen from the "100 wines-by-the-glass" election or from the extensive wine list which includes hard-tofind reserve bottles. In addition to the menu selections, Fleming's offers another way to enjoy food and wine with Discovery Dinners and Wine Flights. Their signature Discovery Dinners offer three fourcourse menus with wine pairings. For parties of six or more, Discovery Dinners feature wines especially chosen to complement each course. With 100 wines by the glass, including many hardto-find boutique wines, Fleming's is a wine-lovers dream. Besides pairing the ideal wine with dinner, explore their signature Discovery Wine Flight. A way to enjoy the adventurous side of wine-tasting, there are six different flights to explore, compare and enjoy.

Discovery Wine Flights are like having your own private wine-tasting every time. You can sit at the bar and try them or have one during dinner. One way to enjoy a flight is by having your waiter bring you a blind flight along with tasting notes. This is a great way to explore and educate your palate.

The heart of Grand Boulevard is a hub of construction and building as the spring grand opening nears. It has taken hundreds of construction workers, engineers, carpenters, roofers, electricians and plumbers, a dozen architects and one visionary to launch Grand Boulevard at Sandestin. One would never know how arduous building a town center is from talking to Keith Howard, a developer of Grand Boulevard. An optimistic Howard said Grand Boulevard is the natural progression for his work in the community. After success with the Market Shops at Sandestin and the nationally-recognized Silver Sands Factory Stores, he says he knew the land and location warranted something special that would endure the test of time. Howard opted for a sustainable town center development based on the principles of new urbanism. "We asked ourselves how we could take the retail lifestyle experience to the next level. We knew what we wanted to do years ago, before town center models came to the forefront. Now there is a name for it," Howard said.

While Grand Boulevard draws upon the style and comfort of old-fashioned town squares, the walkable town center takes a modern approach to this time-honored tradition. It has been updated and fine-tuned. No expense has been spared to make the Grand Boulevard experience truly grand and inviting. One of the first things Howard did to ensure the success of the project was to research other similar successful developments and identify the professionals responsible. Enter Nelson Architects Inc., an Austin based firm specializing in the town center model and exclusive mixed-use vernacular. As the project began to take shape, Philip Crisara, principal architect with Nelson, realized the scope of the project was more ambitious than anything else being built in Northwest Florida between Panama City and Mobile. With his experienced team on board, Howard's dream for a town center in South Walton took off. "Keith (Howard) is bringing forward two unique things. He is bringing a project-type that does not exist in this part of the region - a true mixed-use development with all of the layers needed to support it. Secondly, the quality of every aspect of the center is unparalleled," Crisara said.
"It's spectacular to have a project with all of these layers melded together - retail, dining, entertainment, outdoor lifestyle, lodging and even residential down the line," he said.

The close proximity to the growing population, beaches and development in Northwest Florida make Grand Boulevard the right destination in the right place at the right time. Located between Pensacola and Panama City - approximately 45 miles to either - at the entrance to Sandestin's Golf and Beach Resort. A proponent of sustainable development and protecting the community's natural resources, Howard is ensuring that Grand Boulevard will complement the environment by making green space and landscaping a vital part of the project's design.

Topsail State Preserve spans the south side of Emerald Coast Parkway across the street from Grand Boulevard. In a tribute to this preserve for local flora and fauna, a large public green space has been designated as Grand Park, a major focal point of the town center. Besides providing scenery, Grand Park is designed with flexibility. It will offer space for entertainment, celebrations and community events. Year-round programming such as concerts, movies, and dance and theater performances will occur at Grand Park. One of the most elegant elements of Grand Park is the playful and intricately designed water fountain. Paying homage to the Gulf of Mexico, the fountain visually represents the ebb and flow of the tide and, as with the tide, is constantly changing. Located at the east end of Grand Park, it displays a horizontal design that mimics the coastal tides and projects vertical water at intervals. According to Howard, the fountain is one of the classic characteristics associated with the town center. The dynamic yet tasteful presentation fits within the park, making it part of the landscape. Acoustics from the flowing water combine to make the fountain in Grand Boulevard a highlight within the town center.

About $4.2 million dollars is being spent on landscaping throughout Grand Boulevard. The more than 50 types of trees, bushes and plants will include Medjool date palms, live oaks, bird of paradise, bamboo varietals, crepe myrtles and 600 oversized planters of seasonal varieties. The landscaped walkways around Grand Boulevard will provide shade, and tree canopies at Grand Park will offer respite to those waiting, relaxing, or enjoying the park. At night, the grounds of Grand Boulevard are illuminated throughout.

Determined to meet the growing lifestyle needs of an expanding community of residents and visitors, for 10 years Keith Howard collected parcels of land along U.S. in South Walton. Success of his previous retail ventures convinced him that a mixeduse project - shop, play, work, stay - would be a valuable asset to the Gulf Coast region. "We wanted to build a place with all of the depth and components of a thriving town center and to make sure it will still be here 50 years from now. We will not sacrifice the quality of materials. We?ve built it to last," Howard said. Opting for the highest quality building materials, from solid masonry block frames and authentic traditional stucco exteriors to walnut stained floors in the office space lobbies, space in Grand Boulevard - whether for a professional business, a specialty retailer or fine dining - will offer premium standards.

The grand opening of the major portion of Grand Boulevard will take place in spring 2007. The opening festivities will include and private and public events. Howard Group is responsible for the development of The Market Shops at Sandestin, the Silver Sands Factory Stores, several gulffront resort and residential communities such as Vizcaya at Dune Allen and Stallworth Preserve, as well as Heron Harbor in Destin. Heron Harbor is being designed as a mixed-use community that will include retail, office, residential and marina components.

This article was contributed to The Log by The Howard Group.