The phase is a joint venture between locally based Howard Group and a partnership between Greenwich, CT-based Rockwood Capital Corp. and New York City-based JSS Advisors. Howard Group director of marketing Myra Williams tells GlobeSt.com that developers anticipate two openings for the latest phase--a soft opening in spring 2007 and a grand opening in fall 2007. It has not yet been determined which retailers will open at which time. "We're very excited to be starting this next phase. It will be the town center portion of the project. The buildings are going up quickly and we're looking forward to the soft opening in the spring."

Retailers signed on for this phase include Tommy Bahama Tropical Café and Emporium, J. Jill, Orvis Lifestyle Store, Aveda, Fusion Art Gallery, Publix, Brooks Brothers Country Club and Coldwater Creek.

Grand Boulevard is a $250-million, 52-acre planned town center consisting of 530,000 sf of retail, banking, medical and class A office space located at entrance to the 2,400-acre Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. The first phase consisted of an 86,000-sf community retail center anchored by a Publix supermarket that opened in 2003. It also included two hotels, the 174-suite Courtyard Sandestin at Grand Boulevard and the 120-suite Residence Inn Sandestin at Grand Boulevard. Both hotels, which are Marriott-branded, are managed and operated by the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.