LARGO, Fla. — The Horizon West Bay mixed-use development, which was constructed to transform downtown Largo, has reached 75% capacity after the City Commission approved two more business leases this week, adding new restaurants to the $85 million complex just a few months after it opened.
Bocelli Modern Italian will serve as the development’s anchor restaurant, according to co-owner Lucas Krillies. He received the keys to the vacant space on Thursday and said the restaurant is intended to become a neighborhood spot.
“Our vision, just like the city’s vision, is this could be a destination for all the locals,” Krillies said. “We’re building it from scratch.”
Krillies signed a 10-year lease with the city for three vacant spaces that will be combined into one restaurant. He said the lease starts at $18,000 per month.
“We’re investing a lot of our own money into this, and we believe in it,” Krillies said. “We’re just like the city. They built it. They spent a lot of money building. So we’re going to do the same.”
Krillies, who grew up in Pinellas County, also opened Strachan’s ice cream shop next to the future Bocelli space. He currently co-owns two Bocelli restaurants in Tampa.
“Now, people, what we think are going to say, wow, Largo, city of Largo, downtown Largo, this is the spot to be,” Krillies said. “We feel it in our gut that this is going to be the neighborhood spot.”
The second lease approved this week is for Dead Bob’s Bar and Restaurant, which will move into a space next to the outdoor live music area in the courtyard. Owner Ben Scherlis said he has been looking for nearly a decade for a location in the Largo area.
“I saw the project and wanted to be a part of it,” he said. “This is going to work, and this is what the neighborhood needs.”
Charles Stanton, operations manager for Horizon West Bay, said Parlor Doughnuts was the first business to open in the complex.
“The whole goal of this was to revitalize downtown Largo,” Stanton said. “So, us being the first person here, we wanted this to create the catalyst that brings everything in here. And it’s really starting to pick up.”
Stanton said the development started with 11 spaces and only has two remaining. The operations manager said he’s looking for non-food businesses to fill the remaining vacancies.
“I’d like to see something different,” he said. “Whether it’s some sort of boutique hair salon or fitness or a boutique like a retail boutique, something else that gives someone else a reason to come here besides just food and sweets.”
Stanton said a business has shown interest in one of the two remaining vacant spaces.
Largo commissioners also approved a wet zone for the downtown entertainment district earlier this year. The city is waiting for signage outlining the boundaries to be completed before launching in October.
Largo has been helping to pay for build-out hard costs, including floors, electrical work and bathrooms, through tenant improvement dollars. The city said the practice is common in commercial real estate, and the investment will go back into the building and be recouped during the ninth year of the lease.