Publix rising: New Pearl Britain store takes shape

File photo: Construction workers build a large block wall. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Construction workers build a large block wall for the new Publix that is being rebuilt at Pearl Britain Plaza on Northeast 35th Street in Ocala, Fla. on Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020.

The new Publix under construction at Pearl Britain Plaza is starting to take shape, with walls going up on the structure.

The new building at 2647 NE 35th St. is part of a $10.9 million renovation of the plaza.

Work began in late August and included demolition of the old Publix. The surrounding businesses in the plaza remain open during construction.

It wasn’t clear how long work on the new 50,000-square-foot building and the other renovations would take, but initial estimates said the job could take a year to finish.

The plaza first opened in 1991. In 2015, Coral Gables-based 2655 Horsepower LLC bought the property for $4.4 million, according to property records.