Burger King Groundbreaking Restarts Redevelopment

The first spade of dirt in more than a year and a half was turned in the Temple Terrace downtown redevelopment area Wednesday when officials broke ground for a new Burger King.

“This is exactly the sort of … organization that will bring opportunity and excitement to downtown Temple Terrace,” said Mayor Frank Chillura.

The new restaurant to be built at 8755 N. 56th St. in front of the Sweetbay plaza will replace the Burger King located at 101 Bullard Parkway in the northwest corner of the redevelopment area.

The plans call for a 3,104-square-foot freestanding building with a wrap-around drive-through. The restaurant’s entrances will face the interior of the redevelopment. The back of the building, including a dumpster, will face 56th Street.

Daniel Fitzpatrick, chairman and CEO of Quality Dining, which owns the location and operates more than 165 Burger Kings in eight states, has assured the city that the back of the restaurant and dumpster will be properly screened from 56th Street.

Fitzpatrick made clear Wednesday that the building will also be unique. It will have a Mediterranean-Revival design, trellis window canopies, Spanish-style parapets, a cedar arbor, a decorative arched doorway, and other architectural flourishes.

When the Temple Terrace City Council gave its final approval on the project in September, Councilman Grant Rimbey cast the lone dissenting vote. On Wednesday, he attended the groundbreaking along with council members Alison Fernandez and David Pogorilich to show his support.

Burger King was started by James McLamore in Miami in 1954, Fitzpatrick said, and now there are about 14,000 restaurants worldwide. The current Burger King in the redevelopment area was restaurant No. 98, and it was originally owned by McLamore’s son. The new location will participate in the McLamore Family Foundation, distributing scholarships to local youth.

“This restaurant is a legacy unit for us,” Fitzpatrick said. “We appreciate literally all the work that’s gone into this development, and we’re just glad to be a small part of it. All I can promise you is that we will be a good and contributing citizen. We’re fired up to be here.”

He said the company is hoping to open the new restaurant in early December.

Chillura called the groundbreaking “very exciting.”

“Hopefully, there’s going to be many more of these ceremonies taking place in the very near future,” he said.

See also:

• Redevelopment Area Burger King Gets Green Light
• Council Votes 4-1 on Redevelopment Burger King Plan
• Council Expected to Review Redevelopment Burger King Plans
• Dump It Or Embrace It? Redevelopment Burger King Has Us Talking
• Redevelopment Area Burger King to Relocate