01 OC Mag 01-24

PROGRESS |
growth
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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ERIC SANDBULTE
Newest business development
Commercieel Centrum opens
The plain dirt lots neighboring the newly paved street
and the Highway 10 roundabout might not look like
much now, but in time, Orange City leaders envision
it to become a community hub catering to their residents and
Alton commuters alike.
With about 24.65 acres to it, this land is Orange City’s
newest business development, called Commercieel Centrum.
Thirteen lots are available, with one business in the process
of purchasing the main corner lot along the highway. The
city expects to close on that land purchase in June. Additional
lots will become available after enough of the initial
wave of lots are sold.
Once ground breaks on that corner lot in the summer, Orange
City Community Development director Ryan McEwen
expects other lots will begin to attract even more attention.
“It is designed more for the retail and commercial spaces.
We’ve had a number of businesses ask us, including a flower
shop, a car wash, a restaurant,” McEwen said. “It can be that
type of hub where we would love to have a strip mall with
various stores, kind of like some of the other ones in town.
It’s the idea of bringing people together in an easy space to
access that is in between Alton and Orange City.”
The high volume of highway traffic already made it an
attractive location, but this area around the roundabout
also will benefit from MOC-Floyd Valley Elementary, which
opened in August just to the south on Jay Avenue.
“The stronger relationship we have with Alton, the better.
It’s a great community and very like-minded. Having a
school there with Commercieel Centrum where everyone
can access things easily, that was the thinking back several
years ago,” McEwen said. “It’s really a wonderful hub.”
Talks about establishing Commercieel Centrum began
with his predecessor, Mark Gaul, with the land for
10 OC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2024