In an effort to rejuvenate a vacant gas station site in Manatee County, developers are aiming to establish a new Chipotle Mexican Grill with a drive-thru at 5320 33rd St. E. This location is conveniently situated off State Road 70, approximately three miles west of Interstate 75.
Owned by SDP Florida 1 LLC, the property was acquired for $1.12 million in December from Driven Brands Inc., as per Manatee County property records. The name SDP Florida 1 LLC is linked to Streamline Development Partners, a commercial development firm based in Oxford, Mississippi, which counts Chipotle among its clients.
A preliminary site plan details a 2,235-square-foot restaurant featuring a drive-thru encompassing 31 parking spaces—exceeding the minimum requirement of 29 for this roughly 0.81-acre site. The plan also includes additional features such as two pickup spots, one pull-ahead waiting space, six drive-thru stacking spaces, and one turnaround space.
Looking forward, Chipotle expects to open between 315 and 345 new restaurants in 2025, with at least 80% designed to include a “Chipotlane,” or drive-thru, as highlighted in a company statement. Chipotle currently operates over 3,800 restaurants worldwide.
“Chipotlanes are a critical piece of our long-term growth goal of reaching 7,000 restaurants in North America,” stated Chipotle President and Chief Brand Officer Chris Brandt last November during the launch of the company’s 1,000th Chipotlane. “This restaurant format is the fastest way for fans to get Chipotle and has proven to increase sales, margins and returns.”
It is important to note that the drive-thru at this new location will solely cater to in-app orders, as explained in a Manatee County planning staff report. Access to the restaurant is planned from both State Road 70 and 33rd Street East.
Developers are required to maintain 20% of the site as open space, but for Chipotle’s project, they have chosen to allocate an impressive 39.63% as open space, according to the preliminary site design.
Previously, the property served as a convenience store with gas pumps, ceasing operations in 2018. Although a vacant store building with a canopy and a car wash still exist on the lot, an attempt in 2022 to convert the site into a Take 5 car wash did not progress, as the applicant withdrew the proposal before it was reviewed by the Planning Commission or county commissioners.
The preliminary site plan for the Chipotle has received approval from the Manatee County Planning Commission during its meeting on August 14. The county commissioners are set to deliberate on this preliminary site plan at their land use meeting on September 4.
Key Information
- Location: 5320 33rd St. E, Manatee County
- Property Owner: SDP Florida 1 LLC (Streamline Development Partners)
- Purchase Price: $1.12 million
- Size of Restaurant: 2,235 square feet
- Parking Spaces: 31 (exceeding the required 29)
- Chipotle’s Future Growth: Plans to open 315-345 restaurants in 2025, with 80% featuring drive-thrus
- Approval Status: Preliminary site plan approved by the Planning Commission, pending county commissioners’ review on September 4
Article original publish date: 2025-09-02 19:31:00
Article source: www.businessobserverfl.com
Read the full story at the original source: www.businessobserverfl.com
