City Council agrees to modify agreement for future brewery

The old Ocala Fire Rescue Headquarters is shown by Tuscawilla Park in Ocala on April 20, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

Ocala City Council (OCC) voted to approve a first amendment to the city’s redevelopment agreement with Brewery in Midtown, LLC (Infinite Ale Works) regarding the former fire station building located at 235 N.E. Watula Avenue, overlooking Lake Tuscawilla just north of Silver Springs Boulevard. 

The original agreement was amended to include a sentence concerning the developer’s financial investment in the project, ensuring it was “equal to, or in excess of, the amount of $750,000.” The amended language gave the city some wiggle room, including “terminating [the] Developer’s right to complete the Project,” according to city documents.  

It’s been almost a year since the OCC unanimously approved the agreement with McDonald Properties & Investments, LLC, owned by Tom McDonald and Mike Owen, who previously owned Pi on Broadway. 

Under that agreement the city sold the one-acre parcel that houses the old Ocala Fire Rescue Station No. 1, which was once the city’s oldest operating emergency response facility, to McDonald Properties & Investments for one dollar. The property is valued at $360,000, according to the Marion County property appraiser. 

The deal included reimbursement of up to $100,000 for roof repairs to the 1984 building during the first year. The city will then pay $25,000 per year for five years after that. 

“We’re hoping to close in the next few weeks,” said McDonald on March 16. “Then we’ll start construction and hopefully move over there in roughly a year or so.”

The original closing date was also extended in the new language of the agreement to April 30, 2022. 

Infinite Ale Works is currently housed at 304 S. Magnolia Ave. Per the city, the planned project includes a microbrewery and restaurant. The owner is also considering a micro distillery.