Centre of Tallahassee auctioned off, sold to lender
The auction follows an $83 million foreclosure, not clear yet what this means for stores and customers
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - The Centre of Tallahassee, formerly known as the Old Tallahassee Mall, was sold at auction Tuesday.
According to Leon County’s online records, the lender, ACRC Lender LLC was the high bidder, buying the property from the previous ownership group for $12,100.
Blackwater Resources LLC purchased the property in 2014 and unveiled plans to redevelop it. However, many storefronts stayed vacant, and in July, a final foreclose judgment of more than $83 million was filed.
The property is currently home to an AMC, Belk, Barnes and Noble, a music store, and a few other restaurants and stores. Multiple shoppers told WCTV they’ve noticed a significant decline in activity over the years.
“The biggest disappointment was the big department stores, you know, we counted on those,” said shopper Frances James. “This mall was here before Governor’s Square Mall so it was really the only major mall in Tallahassee for a long time.”
WCTV spoke with another shopper Sybil Palmer as she was leaving Belk.
“I would come more if there was more shopping,” Palmer said. “I do like Belk and we just ate at Lemon Grass. I remember the good old days when we had Gayfer’s and lots of stores. So, I hope that the new owners keep shopping here.”
With the property now in the hands of the lender, the fate of the mall’s tenants remains unclear. WCTV has reached out to Beck Properties, which manages the property’s leases, but we have not heard back.
WCTV also reached out to Blackwater Properties. A spokesperson told WCTV “Blackwater Resources is a third-party management and leasing company hired by the owner of the Centre of Tallahassee. Since it is not the owner of the asset, it is not privy to the ownership’s dealings with its lender and as such, is it not in a position to provide any comment.”
Centre of Tallahassee is also home to several state offices and the School of Arts and Sciences at the Centre.
Multiple state agencies told WCTV they expect their leases to transfer over to whoever takes ownership of the property. A Florida Department of Children and Families spokesperson said their office lease runs through July 2031.
The School of Arts and Sciences, which has been at the Centre since 2016, says it does not expect any changes.
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