Heathrow Square, an aging shopping center with numerous vacancies, is set to undergo a comprehensive renovation with a new Aldi store, multiple new outparcels, and a revamped facade.
Maitland-based Equinox Development, in partnership with Harbour Real Estate Partners, plans to tear down the existing 42,112-square-foot Winn-Dixie building within Heathrow Square. In its place, the developer plans to build a new 21,200-square-foot Aldi store, along with a pair of nearby outparcel buildings that will house a 4,700-square-foot bank with a drive-thru and an 8,000-square-foot restaurant. There will also be additional parking added on the western side of the shopping center, which is located in Heathrow at the northwest corner of Lake Mary Boulevard and International Parkway.
Equinox plans to maintain and renovate the remainder of Heathrow Square with a modern facade and new signage. Renderings indicate that there could be an area with green space and outdoor seating adjacent to a small pond overlooking the southern portion of Heathrow Legacy Country Club, but the plans are subject to change.
Ryan Stahl, President & CEO of Equinox Development, told GrowthSpotter that the shopping center badly needs a revamp, as it hasn’t undergone substantial renovations since it opened in 1988. Equinox and Harbour Real Estate Partners purchased the property in 2021 for $18.2 million.
“People forget that the shopping center is forty years old and originally was built to only inwardly serve the residents of Heathrow. While it has evolved somewhat over the years, our plan is to make a significant investment in order to create a place where folks from all over Seminole County can gather,” he said. “We will also be renaming the shopping center ‘The District at Heathrow’ to reflect the new identity as we bring this shopping center back to life.”
The District at Heathrow will consist of 101,392 square feet, a downsizing from the current 109,466 square feet.
Colette Santana, Taylar Ling, Brandon McCalla, and Billy Rodriguez of JLL handle leasing for the property. In addition to Winn-Dixie, current tenants include Subway, Samurai Sushi, Heathrow Chiropractic, Pure Barre, Casey’s Sports Bar at Heathrow, Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, Heathrow Dental, and Body Coach Personal Training.
There are currently eight vacant spaces in the center, not including the future bank and restaurant outparcels. However, Stahl expects these spaces to fill up after the renovation is complete.
“The list of high-quality restaurants who have reached out to us has been above what we expected and is causing us to consider some additional upgrades,” he said.
Stahl and Brent Lenzen of Kimley-Horn held a pre-app meeting with Seminole County planning staff on Wednesday to discuss the proposed redevelopment. Stahl didn’t provide a timeline for when construction could begin on the project.
Last year, Germany-based Aldi purchased about 400 grocery stores from Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of Winn-Dixie and Harveys, before selling 170 stores back to Southeastern Groceries in February. The company recently announced plans to convert 170 of the Winn-Dixie and Harveys locations into Aldi stores by 2027.
Aldi expects to open more than 225 new locations in 2025, which would be a record-breaking year of growth for the grocery giant as the company continues to expand due to its comparatively low grocery prices. A 2025 study conducted by Aldi claimed that the chain’s customers saved 22% on private-label products compared to their competitors and up to 36% on brand-name products.
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