DADE CITY - Another redevelopment project is planned for downtown, this one on the southern end of Seventh Street, the city's main thoroughfare.

Three or four single-story office buildings are planned on the corner of Howard Avenue, across the street from the former Ancient Oaks motel, which is being converted into small offices.

"What we want to create in here is sort of a market square," said Victor Wozniak, whose company, Wozniak Builders, is developing Howard Office Park about three blocks from the historic Dade City courthouse.

Wozniak wants to build a Mediterranean-styled office building at each corner of the 1-acre site, with parking and walkways in the center. The exteriors of the buildings would be painted in different, complementary colors, he said.

A local State Farm insurance office already has committed to one of the buildings, which is about 3,200 square feet, he said.

The remaining buildings would be leased as office suites, while some might be sold as office condos.

One building would be about 4,000 square feet, and the other two would be about 1,500 square feet each, according to plans submitted to the city. In addition to the insurance agency, the site could house four other tenants and would include 44 parking spaces.

Dade City's Development Review Committee must sign off on the project, which it is scheduled to review at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at city hall chambers, 14150 Fifth St.

If the committee concludes the project would not offer enough parking or would block motorists' view of the intersection, it could deny the project or ask the builder to scale down to three buildings, said Karla Owens, the city's development director and attorney.

The parcel is owned by Thomas Wolff, who ran a disability-claims consulting business in a house there. The house is being moved.

Wozniak said he would like to start construction in November and that the job will take six months.

The Howard Office Park is the second large commercial project in Dade City for Wozniak, who is known for building custom homes and additions. Last year, his company turned a 1920s-era funeral home at 14233 Seventh St. into office suites. Behind the funeral home, the company also renovated a brick building that now houses a hair salon, day spa and offices.

Reporter Jo-Ann Johnston can be reached at (352) 521-3062 or jfjohnston@tampatrib.com.