RIVERVIEW - Owners of an upscale apartment, shopping and hotel development on the Alafia River broke ground on the estimated $100 million project this week.

The Preserve at Alafia will include 351 luxury waterfront apartments and is the first in a three-phase development. Later, the developers plan to construct more than 40,000 square feet of retail space, another 20,000 square feet of office space and 10,000 square feet of restaurant space.

The final phase of the project, which is being developed by the Tampa-based Garrison Developer Group of Florida, will include a Holiday Inn hotel and conference center. The commercial and hotel space will be called Alafia Crossing.

The development sits on 40 acres on the southern banks of the Alafia River, where the Alafia River RV Resort once sat. The land, which is east of Interstate 75, also is adjacent to the Alafia Nature Preserve.

Developer Rey Ortega, president of Garrison Developer Group, said he expects the apartments to be complete by June 2011. The commercial and hotel phases will commence as soon as the group secures more funding.

He touts the waterfront luxury complex as a haven for professionals who want access to downtown Tampa but don't want to live there.

"The access is what's so great about this site," Ortega said. "There's nothing like this in the Brandon area."

Chandra Broadwater can be reached at cbroadwater@sptimes.com, or 661-2454.