Hamlin Macaway: A Grocery-Anchored Center Is Planned for Hamlin West. Here Is What It Means for Horizon West
Boyd Development has filed plans for Hamlin Macaway Commercial, a 19.06-acre shopping center with a 50,239-square-foot grocery, three more retail buildings and five outparcels on the west edge of Hamlin. The tenant is not named, there is no start date yet, and it sits right where the New Independence Parkway extension will soon connect Horizon West to south Clermont.
Conceptual rendering
What to Know
Hamlin Macaway at a glance
A new grocery-anchored center is in the permit pipeline on Hamlin’s west side.
105,239 SF of retail. A 50,239 SF grocery, two 25,000 SF buildings, a 5,000 SF building and five outparcels on 19.06 acres.
Tenant not confirmed. The grocery space is about the size of a standard Publix, but no grocer has been named.
Next to a new road link. The New Independence Parkway extension to Lake County’s Wellness Way is expected to open within months.
I have been selling homes in West Orange for 24 years, and few things change how a neighborhood feels day to day like a grocery store close to home. That is why the latest filing on Hamlin’s west side caught my eye. Boyd Development, the Winter Garden company behind much of Hamlin, has plans in the works for a grocery-anchored center it calls Hamlin Macaway Commercial.
What is planned at Hamlin Macaway?
The site covers 19.06 acres near Avalon Road, McKinney Road and New Independence Parkway, on land recorded with Orange County as Lot 1 of Hamlin West Phase 4. Boyd filed in September 2026, and the project is now in state environmental permit review. The filed site plan lays out:
- A 50,239-square-foot grocery store as the anchor
- Two 25,000-square-foot retail buildings and one 5,000-square-foot building
- Five outparcels from 0.98 to 2.59 acres, the kind of pads that often go to restaurants, banks or service businesses
The design team in the filing is Kelly, Collins & Gentry (engineering), Allen & Company (surveying) and J. Scott Liberty (landscape architecture). No builder or construction start date has been named.
Hamlin Macaway quick facts
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Developer | Boyd Development (Winter Garden) |
| Site | 19.06 acres, Lot 1 of Hamlin West Phase 4 |
| Location | Near Avalon Rd, McKinney Rd and New Independence Pkwy |
| Total retail | 105,239 SF |
| Grocery anchor | 50,239 SF (tenant not named) |
| Other buildings | Two at 25,000 SF, one at 5,000 SF |
| Outparcels | Five, 0.98 to 2.59 acres |
| Status (Oct. 2026) | State environmental permit review; no builder or start date |
Sources: Boyd Development permit filing (September 2026); Orange County property records; see the source list at the end of this post.
Site plan: Kelly, Collins & Gentry Inc.
Is it a Publix? Not confirmed
This is the question I am already hearing. A grocery box around 50,000 square feet lines up closely with a typical new Publix, so the guesses make sense. But no tenant appears in the filing, and the existing Publix at Hamlin Cove is less than a mile away. It could be Publix, another grocer or something else entirely. Until Boyd or a grocer makes an announcement, I would not make any decision based on a tenant name.
Conceptual rendering
Why the New Independence Parkway link matters
The location is the bigger story. Orange County is finishing a roughly one-mile, four-lane extension of New Independence Parkway west to Lake County’s Wellness Way, and Boyd’s Sept. 18, 2026 update says it is expected to open by the end of 2026. The county’s project page lists construction running into early 2027.
Once it opens, south Clermont gets a direct east-west route into Hamlin, and Hamlin homeowners get an easier drive toward U.S. 27. Boyd notes the Wellness Way corridor just west of Hamlin is entitled for up to 16,000 homes. For anyone comparing the two sides of the county line, our Clermont housing market guide is a good place to start.
What it means for Hamlin and Horizon West homeowners and buyers
Horizon West grew from about 14,000 residents in 2010 to 58,101 in the 2020 Census, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Hamlin already has more than 100 businesses, per Boyd, from Home State Brewing, Filigree Coffee and Dutch Bros to Agave Bandido, PopStroke, Swig, Walmart, Bosphorous, The French Cafe, Cinepolis and Outback, with Tiki Docks on the way.
A second grocery-anchored center would add more everyday shopping on the west side of Hamlin, likely meaning shorter trips for homes near Avalon and McKinney roads. Convenience is something buyers notice. Still, I am careful here: a new center does not guarantee any change in home values. Prices depend on rates, inventory, each home’s condition and the broader market. If you own in Hamlin or nearby, the best move is to watch the project’s milestones and get a current, local read on your home before you make plans.
Conceptual rendering
For more on the area, see our Winter Garden and Horizon West real estate hub.
The Takeaway
Hamlin Macaway would extend Hamlin’s shopping west along New Independence Parkway just as the road link to Clermont opens. It is still early: the project is in permit review, the grocer is unconfirmed and there is no start date. Watch for county approvals and a tenant announcement as the next signals.
FAQ
What is Hamlin Macaway Commercial?
Hamlin Macaway Commercial is a proposed grocery-anchored shopping center from Boyd Development on 19.06 acres on the west side of Hamlin in Horizon West, near Avalon Road, McKinney Road and New Independence Parkway. The filed plan shows 105,239 square feet of retail, including a 50,239-square-foot grocery, plus five outparcels.
Is Publix coming to Hamlin Macaway?
That is not confirmed. No grocery tenant has been named in the filing. The 50,239-square-foot grocery space is close to the size of a typical new Publix, which is why people are speculating, and there is already a Publix at Hamlin Cove less than a mile away. Until Boyd or a grocer announces a tenant, treat any name as a rumor.
When will Hamlin Macaway open?
There is no opening date. As of October 2026 the project is in state environmental permit review, and the filing does not name a builder or a construction start date. Site work, county approvals and permits still need to happen before vertical construction, so expect a timeline to come later from Boyd Development.
When does the New Independence Parkway extension open?
Boyd Development said in its Sept. 18, 2026 update that the roughly one-mile, four-lane extension to Lake County’s Wellness Way is expected to open by the end of 2026. Orange County’s project page lists construction from September 2025 through early 2027. Once open, it gives south Clermont a direct east-west route into Hamlin.
Will a new grocery center raise home values in Horizon West?
No one can promise that. New shopping and better road access can make an area more convenient, and convenience is one of many factors buyers weigh. Home values also depend on interest rates, inventory, the condition of each home and the wider market. For a current look at a specific home, ask us for a local market analysis.
Sources & Related Reading
- Hamlin (Boyd Development): A Connection Years in the Making Is Nearly Here (Sept. 18, 2026)
- Orange County Public Works: New Independence Parkway, Avalon Road to the Lake County line (checked Oct. 13, 2026)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Horizon West CDP, Florida (2010 and 2020 Census; checked Oct. 13, 2026)
- Orange County Property Appraiser: property records for Hamlin West Phase 4, Lot 1
- Boyd Development Corporation
- Winter Garden and Horizon West Real Estate 2026 Hub
Thinking about Hamlin or Horizon West?
Whether you are buying, selling or just curious what this means for your street, the Jared Jones Team can give you a current, local read. Call 407-706-5000 or email info@jaredjones.com.