The Forge at Madison Commons, a new dining and entertainment complex located in the former WMOP radio building, is set to open by Jan. 1, according to officials.
The Forge complex is slated to contain the Blind Eye, a circa 1920s style “speakeasy” multilevel bar with “southern cuisine,” top entertainment and possibly Ocala’s longest wrap-around bar; Ignite Asian Fusion; and The Hammock, serving food with a Mediterranean flavor, according to a listing at theforgeocala.com .
A “design your own” pizza bar and an on-site brewery are also planned for the complex. The main building can accommodate up to 1,200 patrons.
Development of the former WMOP radio building site, also referred to as the Walton Property, at 343 NE First Ave. in Ocala is part of the city's Midtown Master Plan, which was formulated in 2017. Incentives were offered for the new tenant, according to Ocala Public Information Officer Gregory Davis.
As the Star Banner has reported, this site housed Ocala Iron Works in the late 1800s; hence the name The Forge. The site later was home to radio station WMOP and then a church.
A city of Ocala building permit issued in November for repair and renovation lists Hutchinson Plumbing as the main contractor. The permit expires Jan. 6.
A main reason for any slowdowns in the renovation work this summer has been the extreme heat, according to Carlos Sanchez with Midtown Eateries of Ocala, developer of the restaurant venues in The Forge.
Workers were busy recently completing the “shell stage” or basic building framework, which can then be customized by the incoming tenants.
Kyle McVey with Hansen Electric of Ocala is foreman for the electrical work on the project. McVey said there is a “lot of custom work” at The Forge, including cooking hoods and food service equipment.
McVey’s brother Eric is with the general contractor on the project.
Ken Walker of Smart Surfaces, Inc. of Plant City checked on the 12-foot-wide-by-28-foot-long horseshoe shaped concrete countertop with colored glass chips on a recent day. He and his crew installed the fixture in a restaurant area.
A sales document on file with the Marion County Property Appraiser's Office shows the 2.64-acre parcel with the 19,377-square-foot former WMOP building and a 2,400-square-foot detached building was sold in 2022 to Forge at Madison Commons for $1.3 million.
Both buildings were built in 1920, according to MCPA records online.
Davis said incentives were provided for the project.
“(T)he city did not own the property for The Forge, but we were willing to provide incentives for this opportunity to encourage redevelopment and reinvestment within Midtown,” Davis wrote.
Midtown Master Plan literature indicates officials felt it was time to consider the long term role of the area north of central downtown in development strategies, including Ocala Vision 2035.
The plan identified the property where the Forge will be located and four other “catalyst sites”: former Ocala Fire Station No. 1, adjacent to Tuscawilla Park; and the Concord, SunTrust and Murphy parking lots. The parking lot properties remain open.
Incentives in the Forge project included waiving or paying of some fees; installation of some infrastructure, sidewalk and street lighting; and a $250,000 total grant to the developers based upon criteria like completion date.
According to the Midtown Master Plan literature, the Midtown Vision encompasses a “livable, connected and safe neighborhood" that also is a “thriving center for arts, culture and innovation and a hub of retail, dining and entertainment options distinct in Marion County.”
Davis indicated the Forge project is “on track to be completed by the end of the year.”
“At the end of the day, these catalytic sites encourage redevelopment and reinvestment in the Midtown area,” he stated.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: The Forge, featuring multiple restaurants, approaches opening date in midtown Ocala
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